Meeting in 1879 of South Australia doctors votes to form second outside branch of British Medical Association

The South Australian Club Hotel, later the South Australian Hotel (above), on North Terrace, Adelaide, was the venue for the South Australia doctors' meeting in 1879 to form a British Medical Association branch.
Image courtesy State Library of South Australia

The South Australian branch of the British medical Association – second offshoot of the parent body after Jamaica (1877) came from a general meeting of the colony’s doctors at the South Australian Club Hotel (later South Australian Hotel) on North Terrace, Adelaide, in June 1879.

Earlier that year, Dr Thomas Cawley, reflecting the thoughts of many, especially younger, colleagues dissatisfied with the South Australian Medical Society, wrote to the general scretary of the British Medical Association for information on forming a local branch.

Before London replied, a meeting was held at the house of leading South Australian surgeon Dr. William Gardner. Others present were Drs. H.G. Astles, F. Baily, T. Cawley, P. Clindening, T.W. Corbin, T.H. Hawkins, J. Hicks and E.W. Way. They 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, in general were listed as the chief aims of the new society. It was decided, if practicable, the new society should be a branch of the British Medical Association.

Thirty doctors attended the June meeting at the South Australian Club, chaired by Dr William Gosse, who was elected first president of the proposed association, with Dr Thomas Corbin vice president and Dr W.L. Cleland secretary. Opposition to a new association was minimal but  some members qualified their support by insisting on laws to suppress unqualified practitioners, still very contentious.

South Australia’s six members of the British Medical Association were asked to sign the nomination papers sent to London from 30 applicants for association membership. The South Australian branch was formally recognised in 1880. At that time, there were 108 qualified practitioners on the South Australian medical register.

At first, branch meetings were in members' homes and then at the new Adelaide University; later Morialta Chambers, Victoria Square; then at Adelaide Hospital. Contentious issues discussed included eligibility for membership of a doctor who was a homoeopath. A proposed ethical code wasn’t adopted, despite the South Australian Branch Council in 1885 having a committee investigate cases of grossly irregular practice. One of the branch's first entries into public debate was to defend city health officer, Dr. W. Robertson, who’d had his salary cut and an analytical chemist take over his work

An outstanding feature of the branch's early activities was the start in 1887 of intercolonial medical congresses. The first, in Adelaide, coincided with the jubilee exhibition. Dr J.C. Verco was the president and Dr B. Poulton secretary of the congress, that attracted 155 delegates, including a member from Fiji.