Person
Gillbee, William (1825 - 1885)
- Born
- 1825
Hackney, United Kingdom - Died
- 4 January 1885
East Melbpourne, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Medical practitioner and Surgeon
Summary
William Gillbee, having completed his medical training in London and undertaken postgraduate studies in Edinburgh, came to Victoria in 1852. Here he established a practice in Collins St. Between 1854 and 1875 he was an honorary surgeon at the Melbourne Hospital. He introduced the use of antiseptic methods at the Hospital, the first to do so. Gillbee helped found the medical school at the University of Melbourne in 1862 and was examiner in surgery. A leading member of the medical profession in Melbourne, he served as President of both the Medical Society of Victoria and the Victorian Branch of the British Medical Association. He was also an office-bearer of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria and its successor, the Royal Society of Victoria.
Details
Chronology
- 1848
- Education - Member, Royal College of Surgeons at RCS, Guy's Hospital, London
- 1851 - 1852
- Education - Member, RoyaL College of Surgeons, Edinburgh
- 1852
- Life event - Migrated to Victoria
- 1852
- Career event - Established practice in Collins St, Melbourne
- January 1854 - 1867
- Career position - Honorary Surgeon, Melbourne Hospital
- 1857
- Career position - Member, Philosophical Institute of Victoria
- 1858 - 1859
- Career position - Member of Council, Philosophical Institute of Victoria
- 1859 - 1885
- Career position - Member, Royal Society of Victoria
- 1861 - 1863
- Career position - Member of Council, Royal Society of Victoria
- 1862
- Career position - Examiner in surgery, University of Melbourne
- 1863
- Career position - President, Medical Society of Victoria
- 1864
- Career position - Vice-President, Royal Society of Victoria
- 1865 - 1869
- Career position - Member of Council, Royal Society of Victoria
- 1867 - 1875
- Career position - Senior Surgeon, Melbourne Hospital
- 1869 - 1879
- Career position - Vice-President, Victorian Medical Benevolent Association
- 1879
- Career position - President, British Medical Association, Victorian Branch
- 1879 - 1884
- Career position - President, Victorian Medical Benevolent Association
- 1882
- Career position - President, Committee of Management, Melbourne Hospital
Related entries
Published resources
Book Sections
- O'Sullivan, David M., 'Gillbee, William (1825 - 1885), surgeon' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 4: 1851 - 1890 D-J, Nairn, Bede, Serle, Geoffrey and Ward, Russell, eds (Carlton, Vic.: Melbourne University Press, 1972), pp. 249-50, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gillbee-william-3616. Details
Journal Articles
- Dyason, Diana J., 'William Gillbee and Ersyipelas at the Melbourne Hospital: Medical Theory and Social Actions', Journal of Australian Studies, 8 (14) (1984), 3-28, https://doi.org/10.1080/14443058409386881. Details
- O'Sullivan, D., 'The introduction of antiseptic surgery to Australia', Medical journal of Australia, 2 (20, 1 November) (1967), 896-902, https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1967.tb74352.x. Details
- O'Sullivan, David M., 'William Gillbee and the introduction of antiseptic surgery to Australia', Medical journal of Australia, 1 (19, 1 November) (1966), 871-7, https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1966.tb97593.x. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 20 November 2025