Gallery
Nattrass, John Hodgson (1870 - 1943)
M.D. (Melb.)
- Born
- 24 March 1870
Cambrian Hill, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 4 December 1943
- Occupation
- Gynaecologist, Medical practitioner and Obstetrician
Details
Transcription of item written by Dr Colin Macdonald and published in "The Book of Remembrance", The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, 1956.
DR. JOHN HODGSON NATTRASS
Dr. Nattrass was born at Cambrian Hill, near Ballarat, on March 24th, 1870.
In early life he worked on his father’s farm at Horsham, and during this time had only two years of school life. At the age of twenty he went to Wesley College, Melbourne, where his education progressed rapidly enabling him to matriculate within two years.
Passing on to the University of Melbourne he graduated M.B., B.S. in 1898 and spent the next three years as Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Hospital, the Children’s Hospital and the Women’s Hospital.
He then purchased a practice in Victoria St., North Melbourne and for the next nine and a half years led a very busy life, notwithstanding this, he carried out some valuable research work with Professor W.A. Osborne on "Autoplastic Ovarian Transplantation", for which he gained the M.D. Degree by Thesis.
In 1910 he traveled abroad for post-graduate work and studied under Bland Sutton in London, Professor Alexis Thomson at Edinburgh and stayed and worked with Howard Kelly at Baltimore. He also worked with Kocher in Berne, Tuffier in Paris and Wertheim in Vienna.
On his return to Melbourne in 1911 he practiced as a Gynaecologist in Spring and in Collins Streets. He was then appointed an Outpatient Surgeon to the Women’s Hospital and later became Senior Indoor Surgeon until his retirement in 1926, after seventeen years’ service.
Dr. Nattrass had many other interests. In 1907 he was President of the Melbourne Medical Association and Worshipful Master of the University Lodge, No. 171, in 1914. In 1916 he was one of a group of medical men who pioneered the building of Lister House in Collins Street for Professional rooms and Residential Flats, and acted as Chairman of Directors from its inception until the time of his death.
His military record was noteworthy. He entered the University Officers’ Corps of Instruction in 1897, and later, in the Army Medical Corps, was Captain, Major and Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1914 he was rejected for service abroad but became Senior Medical Officer at Queenscliff Forts, and later Senior Medical Officer at Broadmeadows Camp, Acting Officer Commanding No.5 Australian General Hospital, and Principal Medical Officer, Camp Headquarters’ Staff; and finally, Assistant Principal Medical Officer, Third Military District (Victoria). He was mentioned in Orders for "specially meritorious service to Australia" during the war.
He married Miss Annie Barton, younger daughter of the Rev. John Barton and had one child, Dr. John Nattrass, M.R.C.O.G., D.G.O.
Dr. J.H. Nattrass died on December 4th, 1943.
Archival/Heritage Resources
Royal Women's Hospital Archives
- Book of Remembrance, 1956 - 1975; Royal Women's Hospital Archives [ Details... ].
Prepared by: Robyn Waymouth
Created: 19 September 2006, Last modified: 26 November 2006