Name: James Fishbourne McCulloch
Qualifications:
MB ChM – University of Sydney (1924)
DA – University of Sydney (1950)
Date of Birth: 1 May 1901
Date of Death: 26 June 1984
James Fishbourne McCulloch was born in the rural New South Wales town of Urana in 1901. He moved from the country to the city to undertake his medical degree at the University of Sydney. He finished his degree in 1924. In 1929, McCulloch travelled to England to gain practical experience overseas. He returned to Australia, working in various hospitals around Sydney until World War II. He enlisted and served in his medical capacity during the war. When he returned, he again practiced anaesthetics. His contributions to the field of anaesthetics, especially war time administering, led to his fellowship at the Faculty of Anaesthetists in both England and Australia in the 1950s.
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James Fishbourne McCulloch was born on May 1, 1901 in Urana New South Wales.[i] McCulloch’s early education was a mixture of home schooling and attending Albury High School/Fort Street School. He enrolled at the University of Sydney graduating from his Bachelor of Medicine in 1923.[ii] He finished his ChM or Bachelor of Surgery one year later in 1924. He was described in the 1923 yearbook as “a keen tennis player and most enthusiastic surfer. He already has the look of a prosperous general practitioner, and is accordingly well on the highway to success.”[iii] McCulloch would return to the University of Sydney in 1950 to complete his Diploma in Anaesthetics.[iv]
Post-graduation, McCulloch spent his residency at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. In 1929, he left Australia to travel to England for further study.[v] He settled at Lambeth Hospital where he met Robert Macintosh, future Nuffield Professor. After completing his practical study in 1934, McCulloch returned to Australia.[vi] He entered into General Practice in North Sydney and became the Honorary Anaesthetist at St Vincent’s Hospital. During his time at St Vincent’s he met Harry Daly.
After one year, McCulloch relocated to Royal North Shore Hospital where he stayed until 1939. With the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force.
He served as the anaesthetist in the 2/1 Australian General Hospital in Palestine. He was transferred in 1940 to the 2/5 Australian General Hospital in New Guinea and Morotai.[vii]
Alongside his professional appointments, McCulloch was affiliated with many major anaesthetist societies. In 1945 he was granted membership to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.[viii] In the following years he also joined the Australian Society of Anaesthetists serving as their Secretary-Treasurer from 1946 to 1948 and as their President from 1954 to 1955.[ix] In 1956, he was elected to the Board of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons becoming an examiner for the anaesthetist exams and the Vice Dean.[x] He became full Dean of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1961. He served until 1963.[xi]
As well as his affiliations, McCulloch has been recognized for his contributions to the field of anaesthetics through honours and awards. In 1952 he was awarded a Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.[xii] This became an honorary Fellowship in 1973.[xiii] Two years later, he was elected to the Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetists in England. He published works on anaesthetists at war and is remembered for his early international undertakings.
REFERENCES
[i] Australian Military Forces, ‘Attestation Form for Special Forces Raised for Service in Australia; McCulloch, James Fishbourne’, National Archives of Australia, Canberra, 1939, Series No. B883 NX242.[ii] University of Sydney Medical School, ‘Senior Year Book, 1923’, University of Sydney: New South Wales, 1923, p. 75.[iii] Ibid.[iv] Royal Australasian College of Physicians, ‘College Roll: McCulloch, James Fishbourne’, 2015, Online: https://members.racp.edu.au/page/library/college-roll/college-roll-detail&id=936.[v] Douglas Joseph, ‘Obituary: James Fisbourne McCulloch’, ANZCA Bulletin, July 1984, p. 34, ANZCA Archives, Series 11.[vi] Douglas Joseph, ‘Citation for Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Anaesthetsits, R.A.C.S. of Dr. James Fishbourne McCulloch’, Citation, 30 June 1973, p. 1, ANZCA Archives, Series 11.[vii] Australian Military Forces, ‘Attestation Form for Special Forces Raised for Service in Australia; McCulloch, James Fishbourne’.[viii] Douglas Joseph, ‘Obituary: James Fisbourne McCulloch’, ANZCA Bulletin, July 1984, p. 35, ANZCA Archives, Series 11.[ix] Australian Society of Anaesthetists, ‘Past Presidents’, 2015, Online: https://www.asa.org.au/ASA/About_us/History_of_the_Society/Past_Presidents/Past_Presidents.aspx.[x] Faculty of Anaesthetists Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, ‘Meeting Minutes, 29th September, 1984’, Meeting Minutes, 1984, p. 1, ANZCA Archives, Series 11.[xi] Ibid.[xii] James Fishbourne McCulloch, ‘Exordium’, Application Form, 1952, Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History: VKGM 6903.15.[xiii] Faculty of Anaesthetists Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, ‘Meeting Minutes, 29th September, 1984’.IMAGES
- ‘J McCulloch and T Brophy’, cropped. ANZCA Archives, Series 321, Item Number SB69/6/25.
- ‘J McCulloch and T Brophy’, ANZCA Archives, Series 321, Item Number SB69/6/5.
- ‘J McCulloch and T Brophy’, ANZCA Archives, Series 321, Item Number SB69/6/16.
- James Fishbourne McCulloch, ‘Exordium’, Application Form, 1952, Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History: VKGM 6903.15.
- Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History VKGM 6923.