Hydatid disease, Vol. II. By the late John Davis Thomas... A collection of papers on hydatid disease / edited and arranged by Alfred Austin Lendon.

  • Thomas, J. Davies (John Davies), 1844-1893.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hydatid disease, Vol. II. By the late John Davis Thomas... A collection of papers on hydatid disease / edited and arranged by Alfred Austin Lendon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    13/188
    accompaniment. He died on the 30th January, 1893, in the 49th year of his age. He married in 1878 Eleanor, fourth daughter of the late Hon. Walter Duffield, M.L.C., of Para Para, near Gawler. Dr. Thomas was essentially a worker and an enthusiast, carrying on at one and the same time a large practice and an immense amount of literary and scientific work. He wrote many articles for newspapers and magazines on subjects connected with the public health, and while at Clunes he read a paper before the Medical Society of Victoria on “ Ether and Chloroform as Anaesthetics,” which was afterwards pub- lished, with additions, in the Australian Medical Journal. In this paper, and throughout his professional career, he strongly advocated the use of ether in preference to chloroform as being a much safer anaesthetic. His studies however were chiefly devoted to the subject of hydatid disease, aud the publication, in 1884, of his book “ Hydatid Disease, with Special Reference to its Prevalence in Australia” wTas the result of many years of unceasing labour and research : prior to its publication, and also subsequently, he contributed many papers on the subject to different medical periodicals. He had nearly completed the second portion of his projected work dealing with the clinical aspect of the disease when his health broke down. Only those who knew him intimately tan have any idea of the amount of work he did in order to extend our knowledge of this disease and of the best methods for its prevention and treatment. Many sufferers in the past owTe their lives to him, and doubtless many in the future will reap the benefit resulting from his researches, for he ranks high as an authority on the history and treatment of the disease. When in England a paper “ On the Experimental Breeding of Taenia Echinococcus in the Dog from the Echinococci of Man” was read before the Royal Society, and some microscopic slides, prepared by himself, were exhibited by Dr. Cobbold, at a Conversazione of the Society. Dr. Thomas’s thorough conscientiousness, sterling character, and un- doubted professional ability won for him a high place in the esteem of both the general public and his professional brethren. He made a point of keeping himself au courant with all that was going on in the medical world, and spared neither pains to make himself as perfect as possible in every branch of his profession, nor expense in procuring any instrument or appliance that might be useful for his patients. He was scrupulously careful and conscientious in reading up difficult cases, and never undertook a serious operation without much thought and preparation. He had an insatiable thirst for information, and a