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Volume 2 Number 3 RoN 1 9 9 0 Jours lof the University of Melbourne Medical Society UMMS Vol. 2 No. 3 Contents April 1990 University of Melbourne 1 Editorial Peter G Jones Medical Society 2 Vale — Professor Emeritus Sir Douglas Wright As at 1 March 1990 4 Seminar — Resource Constraints and the Practice of Medicine: Everything That Might be Done Can't be Done President Pro f. Em. Richard Love!!, Hon. Senator Peter Baume, Prof. Em. Sir Sydney Sunderland Mr Kenneth Davidson, Dr Diana Horvath, Rev. Canon Dr John Morgan, Prof. Richard Larkins Executive Committee 15 The Link Between Alzheimer's Disease and Slow Virus Diseases of the Brain Colin L. Masters Chairman Professor Graeme Ryan 18 Hormones, Mood and Sexuality — from Freud to Feminism Lorraine Dennerstein Deputy Chairman 22 The New Era of Forensic Pathology Professor Gordon Clunie in Victoria Stephen M Cordner 28 The Ultimate in Preventive Medicine Robert L. Simpson Honorary Secretary 29 Books Harold D. Attwood Dr Diana Sutherland 30 Medical Records in The University of Melbourne Archives Frank Strahan Honorary Treasurer Mr David Westmore 34 UMMS • Notice of Annual General Meeting 1990 • Minutes of Annual General Meeting 1989 Dr Lorraine Baker (filling casual vacancy left by 35 • UMMS B.Med.Sc. Prize 1988 Dr Thomas Kay who is overseas) • Members News Dr John MacDonald Thomas Vicary Lecture 1989: James Guest Mr Michael Wilson 37 • Letters 38 • Reunions 41 School of Medicine Chiron • From the Dean Graeme B. Ryan Editors 44 • Reports from Clinical Schools Mr Peter Jones Austin Hospital & Repatriation Hospital Bernard Sweet Mrs Maggie Mackie Royal Melbourne Hospital and Western Hospital Alan M. Cuthbertson Editorial Board St Vincent's Hospital Wilma Beswick Prof. Em. Harold Attwood 45 • School of Medicine Final Year 1989 Mr Darrell Mead Top Final Year Student Ms Robin Orams Prizes & Awards Professor Graeme Ryan Graduate List MBBS Design 47 • Department of Biochemistry Richard E. Wettenhall Mrs Maggie Mackie 49 • Retirements Typesetting 50 Mary Clementina De Garis (1881-1963) Carolyn De Poi Fingers Typesetting, Box Hill 56 Memoirs of Oliver Paul Burger (1912-1989) 59 Obituaries Printing • Diana Dyason, John D. Livingston, John J. Nattrass Capitol Press Pty Ltd, Box Hill 60 Medical History Unit Harold D. Attwood Enquiries University of Melbourne Dates to Remember Inside Back Cover Medical Society School of Medicine Acknowledgements The University of Melbourne Contributing UMMS members, Reunion reporters, Medical History Parkville 3052 Unit; members of the Burger family, who kindly assisted in compiling papers and photographs for Oliver's memoirs; Carolyn De Poi, who Telephone (03) 344 5888 generously allowed us to publish part of her B.Med.Sc. Report on Mary Clementina De Garis. Acknowledgement Chiron is grateful for the generous Further copies of Chiron may be purchased at $10 each support provided by the Medical plus $2 postage and handling. Defence Association of Victoria in sponsoring this journal. ISSN 0814-3978 Copyright © 1990 Editorial S THE COVER suggests, there has preclinical years has averaged 1.8% per year; been a very significant change in the in the clinical years, it has averaged 0.4%. Aprofile of students entering the medical These figures attest not only to the interest course. Much maligned in the past as that the students have in the course but also irresponsible and privileged, and an unlikely support the validity and efficiency of the source of competent and compassionate selection process.' medical practitioners, the discipline imposed Graduates of yore tend to believe the by entry quotas and years of demanding curriculum is still much the same as they study, together with the changing nature of experienced, with whatever shortcomings the student intake, has perhaps tempered they perceived in their own medical some aspects of their public image without education. Nothing could be further from the diminishing their high spirits and infinite truth, for the Faculty's continuous and diversity. Student figures quoted in the 1989 continuing review of the curriculum, with issue of Medicine (the Newsletter of the School student representation taking an active part, of Medicine) are revealing: 'Currently, nearly has produced great changes as a result of its half are women (compared with a figure of ability to foresee and meet the community's 20% in 1972), and approximately 60% of new evolving attitudes, perceptions and needs. medical students were either born overseas or The perennial problem is to decide just have one or two migrant parents. For some what should be packed into the finite 20% of students, a language other than knapsack of the 'all purpose' graduate, to English is spoken at home.' enable him or her to take off along any one of The criticism that the 'wrong' people are many divergent paths, with equal confidence. selected into the course and that Faculty One possibility still being debated is a quotas and cut-off scores are to blame, is well compulsory second intern year, but as from 90 answered in the University's submission to the to 95 per cent of graduates already voluntarily Doherty Inquiry: seek a second year of training, based on their 'There is no evidence that bright, clever needs and preferences, compulsion seems people lack idealism, dedication, compassion, quite unnecessary. sensitivity, insight, problem-solving ability, a Whichever path is chosen it should be a capacity for independent learning and journey of self-discovery and great fulfilment; whatever other qualities a doctor needs — or no other profession offers greater rewards in that less bright people have more of these being useful to humanity. On the other hand, qualities. Those who gain selection into the 'success' and 'happiness, however defined, medical course on academic merit have almost inevitably depend on enjoying the proved that they are bright, physically and tasks undertaken. Without that enjoyment, mentally healthy and motivated to succeed. intelligence, stamina and self-knowledge may To select into medicine those who have shown not be sufficient to practice medicine in the themselves to be less bright — those with a long-term, as anxieties, stresses, and even self- poorer chance of succeeding academically — doubts, accumulate. is neither sensible nor kind. At least our The high commendations of the present yardsticks to measure academic Accreditation Committee of the Australian capacity are excellent, realistic predictors of Medical Council (1989), and accreditation of success in the medical course. Since the the course for a period of ten years, indicates introduction of the new medical curriculum at that Faculty has indeed created an The University of Melbourne in 1980, the environment from which excellence has failure and withdrawal rates in the medical emerged. The Faculty takes pride in the course have become exceedingly low. Over quality and achievements of its graduates and the past five years, the pass rate during the in their long-term contributions to teaching, preclinical years has averaged 97.6%; in the research and competent, compassionate clinical years, it has averaged 99.5%. During practice. the same period, the withdrawal rate in the Peter G Jones Chiron 1990 / 1 VALE Professor Emeritus Sir Douglas Wright AK, DSc (ANU & Melb), Hon LLD (ANU & Melb), MB, MS, FRACP 1907-1990 DEXTER DIMOVERAT UMBRAM Propitiously and skilfully Wright removed the dark shadows of ignorance.* MEMBERS will have been saddened The first quality Sir Douglas by the sudden death in February this brought to the position of Chancellor year of our Foundation President. was an intimate knowledge of the Most will have memories of that very Council itself, having first joined it in human, human being. As a teacher 1963, and become a Deputy he was a legend, and 'Pansy' Chancellor in 1972. During those anecdotes delighted members of years he had formed a clear view of every Faculty in this University. As a the proper role of the Council in the builder and achiever, throughout his University, and of what it should and professional and community life he should not attempt to do. Even before maintained his own rigorous, joining the Council he had been internationally competitive research deeply involved in formulating the activities. aspirations of the University, not least There were those, of course, in the preparation of the submission whom he did not delight, but no one to the Murray Committee in 1957 can deny that his bold sallies down when the Commonwealth decided to the corridors of power have achieved make a major commitment to the much. All his life he enjoyed shaping of university education in knocking down idols, garnering Australia. He had, over the years, funds and defending the seemingless entered many a controversy on the defenceless. If not always right, he perennial issue of the proper was constantly creative. What follows relationship between universities and is the Minute of Appreciation governments, controversies from adopted by the University Council in which he characteristically derived March 1990, to mark Professor wise conclusions rather than Wright's retirement as Chancellor, an entrenched prejudices. Having been office which he held for a decade. Dean of the Faculties of Medicine, Science and Veterinary Science, and professor of Physiology for more than three decades, and having originally entered Council elected by his fellow professors, he needed no reminding that the purposes and values of the University were fundamentally IR DOUGLAS WRIGHT academic, and that to make it simply became the 16th Chancellor of an instrument of government is to Sthe University of Melbourne in pervert its values and diminish its March 1980. After more than a utility. decade in the position, he did not In continuing to profess the values seek re-election in 1990. He of academia, Sir Douglas has never continues as a member of the been merely a one-time academic, Council of the University, and it is turned university politician.

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