Barrett, James William (1862 - 1945)

James Barrett was one of the most influential and controversial medical identities in early twentieth century Australia. After undertaking medical training at the University of Melbourne and demonstrating in physiology and histology, he conducted research on the eyes of animals and lectured on the physiology of the special senses, 1897-37.

In 1901 he was elected to the University Council and in 1913 he was joint secretary of a committee appointed to inquire into the University's administration. He later became Vice-Chancellor of the University (1931-34), Deputy Chancellor (1934) and Chancellor (1935-39). He was a well-known "progressive" and a public figure who made friends and enemies with equal ease.

After studying medicine at the University of Melbourne, James Barrett joined the resident medical staff of the Melbourne Hospital in the early 1880s and became a strong advocate of antisepsis. He went to London for further training, working as a demonstrator in physiology at King's College, London, and gaining his MRCS in 1884 and his FRCS in 1887.

On his return to Melbourne in 1887, he joined the University of Melbourne Medical Faculty staff as a demonstrator in physiology and histology, after which he was promoted to a lectureship in physiology.

Early in the twentieth century he joined the University Council and, in 1913, he asked it to invite the Faculty of Medicine to give its opinion on the establishment of chairs in clinical medicine, clinical surgery, experimental medicine and surgery. There is no evidence that the Faculty discussed this matter, and it was not until 1944 that the first of these professorships - that of Professor in Experimental Medicine - was created and an additional eleven years passed before clinical Chairs in Medicine and Surgery were established.

As Chancellor, Barrett came into conflict with the Vice-Chancellor, Raymond Priestley, who was opposed to Barrett's attempts to retain control of the administration of the University. He seemed to have some insight into his tendency to spread himself widely, if thinly, once describing himself as "a man of catholic tastes, with an unconquerable propensity for having a finger in every pie".

Events

1880	Appointed first secretary of the Medical Students Society of the University of Melbourne.
1881 - 1882	Graduates in medicine from the University of Melbourne, MB 1881 and ChB 1882.
1884 - 1887	Undertakes further studies at King's College, London, graduating MRCS (1884) and FRCS (1887).
1887	Forms an association with the Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
1887	Awarded an MD and appointed demonstrator in physiology and histology at the University of Melbourne.
1888	Gains a Master of Surgery degree (ChM) at the University of Melbourne.
1897	Appointed honorary assistant lecturer in the physiology of the special senses at the University of Melbourne, a position he retains for forty years.
1901	Joins the Council of the University of Melbourne.
1910	Founds the Bush Nursing Association with his sister, Edith, also a University of Melbourne medical graduate.
1913	Appointed joint secretary (with Richard Berry) of a committee established to look into the University 's administration.
1914 - 1915	On active service with the Australian Imperial Force's 1st General Hospital.
1916 - 1919	War service with British Army in Royal Army Medical Corps.
1931	Elected Vice-Chancellor on the death of Sir John Monash.
1934	Becomes Deputy Chancellor of the University.
1935	Appointed President of the British Medical Association.
1935 - 1939	Holds the position of Chancellor of the University. On his retirement in 1939 he was on twenty-eight committees, and president of a dozen of them.
1937	Retires as honorary lecturer on the physiology of the special senses.
1939	Inaugural President, Ophthalmalogical Society of Australia.