Joseph Cooke Verco a promoter of science: heads first intercolonial medical congress in Adelaide in 1887 at 36
A Goege Dixon monocular microscope used in his 1870s London studies by Joseph Cooke Verco, who led the infusion of scientific discipline into late 19th Century South Australian medical practice.
Joseph Cooke Verco was elected president of the first intercolonial medical congress of Australasia, in Adelaide in 1887, despite being only 36 years of age and in practice for nine years. He gave his presidential address despite an attack of enteric (typhoid) fever.
Verco had been a foundation member in 1879 of the South Australian branch of the British Medical Association and its president 1886-87 and 1915-19. That branch had been formed when Dr Thomas Cawley, reflecting the thoughts of many, especially younger, colleagues dissatisfied with the South Australian Medical Society, wrote to the general secretary of the British Medical Association.
The younger generation of South Australian doctors had decided to form a new medical society with activities including discussing original papers, demonstrating interesting cases and pathological specimens and advancing medical and surgical science.
Verco, arguably South Australia’s most eminent physician at that time, who’d studied forensic medicine in London, had complained that a gap had grown between “sedate seniors” among the colony’s early doctors who were more concerned with “petty disputes about medical etiquette and punctilio” and “ardent juniors” who wanted “a rather more scientific kind of meeting to read papers and discuss cases and specimens”.
In 1834 (two years, before South Australia was proclaimed), a South Australian Literary and Scientific Association had been started in London “for the Cultivation and Diffusion of Useful Knowledge” in the colony. It set up a library, organised lectures and arranged “periodical meetings for conversation”.
By 1853, it had morphed into the Philosophical Society of South Australia and then, in 1880, into the Royal Society of South Australia. During this period, leading doctors in the colony featured prominently in its activities. They included Verco and Dr William Gosse (first president of the South Australian branch of the British medical Association), and Dr George Mayo, later president of the medical board. Edward Charles Stirling, who helped set up the medical school at The University of Adelaide with Verco, was another member.
President of the Royal Society of South Australia in 1903-21, Verco presented £1000 to found its research and endowment fund. He donated £5000 in 1926 to the Medical Sciences Club of South Australia to start the Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science and supported many other institutions.
The Sir Joseph Verco Medal was awarded by the Royal Society of South Australia from 1929 to recognise distinguished scientific investigations carried out by a member of the society.