Joseph Bancroft
Joseph Bancroft(21 February 1836 – 16 June 1894) was asurgeon,pharmacologistandparasitologistborn inEngland,who emigrated toQueensland,Australia.
Early life
[edit]Bancroft was born inStretford,nearManchester,Lancashire,the only son of Joseph Bancroft, afarmer,and his wife Mary,néeLane. He took a five-year apprenticeship with Dr Jeremiah Renshaw atSaleinCheshire.He later studied at theManchester Royal School of Medicine and Surgery(M.R.C.S., L.S.A., 1859), where he won several prizes. He took his medicaldegreeat theUniversity of St Andrewsin 1859 and later became a member of theRoyal College of Surgeons.He practised atNottinghamuntil 1864, then emigrated toQueenslandafter being advised a warmer climate would improve his health.
Career in Australia
[edit]Bancroft arrived inBrisbaneon 29 October 1864, having travelled on theLady Youngas a surgeon.[1]After a short holiday he began to practise in a residential quarter ofBrisbane,and soon became a respectedphysicianandsurgeon.He was an early tenant of the (now heritage-listed)Athol PlaceonWickham TerraceinSpring Hill.[2]
In 1867 he was appointed visiting surgeon at theBrisbane General Hospitaland became house surgeon in 1868. He resumed practice at Carlton inWickham Terracein 1870, found himself in much demand, but contrived to do a good deal of research. He was the discoverer of the medical properties ofDuboisia myoporoides,which was afterwards largely used inophthalmicsurgery. In 1872 he investigated the properties ofDuboisia hopwoodiia common ingredient in the eastern Australian variety of the native chewing mixture,pituri.In 1877 he travelled to the East,EuropeandAfrica,supposedly onholiday,however he could not refrain from studyingdiseasespeculiar to each country.
After Bancroft's return from his travels, he carried on a large practice and, in addition to his scientific research on medical problems, developed his interest in economicbotany.He made many experiments to obtain a rust-proofwheat,showed great interest inviticultureand the culture ofoysters,studied the diseases of thebananaandsugar cane,and invented a preparation ofpemmicanordesiccated beef.The medical properties of numerous native plants were investigated; he prepared apamphlet,Contribution to Pharmacy from Queensland,for the 1886 colonial andIndianexhibition held inLondon.In 1888 Bancroft reluctantly joined theRoyal Commissionto investigate the rabbit problem. Shortly before his death he was on the sub-committee appointed by the Medical Society of Queensland to assist in the revision of the BritishPharmacopoeia.He made important researches inleprosyand became well known through his studies infilaria disease;he was the discoverer of the mature parasiteFilaria bancroftiand was one of the first to suggest it was borne bymosquitoes.Bancroft was a leading scientist of his period in Queensland. He was at various times vice-president of theAustralasian Association for the Advancement of Science,president of the Queensland Medical Board, of theRoyal Society of Queenslandand the Medical Society of Queensland.
Later life
[edit]
Bancroft died suddenly inAnn Street,Brisbane on 16 June 1894, he was survived by his wife, a daughter and a son, Dr.Thomas Lane Bancroft(1860–1933), who also did valuable scientific work.
Legacy
[edit]The main building of theQueensland Institute of Medical Researchis named the Bancroft Centre in honour of Bancroft's role as the key figure in establishing medical research in Queensland.
Theelectoral district of Bancroftcreated in the 2017 Queensland state electoral redistribution was named after him.[3]
There is a monument to Joseph Bancroft and his son Thomas Lane Bancroft in Bancroft Park, Captain Cook Parade,Deception Bay(27°10′45″S153°01′44″E/ 27.1791°S 153.0290°E). It was unveiled on Sunday 21 July 1963 by the Queensland branch of theAustralian Medical Association,theCaboolture Shire Council,and the Caboolture Historical Society.[4]
Severalstreetshave been named after Bancroft including Bancroft Terrace and Joseph Crescent in Deception Bay, and Bancroft Street inKelvin Grove.[5][6]
The papers of Dr Joseph Bancroft and his son are held by the State Library of Queensland.[7]
References
[edit]- ^"Bancroft's Work for Humanity".The Brisbane Courier.No. 23, 281. Queensland, Australia. 10 September 1932. p. 19.Retrieved18 January2023– via National Library of Australia.
- ^"Athol Place (entry 600167)".Queensland Heritage Register.Queensland Heritage Council.Retrieved1 August2014.
- ^Queensland Redistribution Commission (26 May 2017)."Determination of Queensland's Legislative Assembly Electoral Districts"(PDF).Queensland Government Gazette.p. 193. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 29 October 2017.Retrieved29 October2017.
- ^"Dr Joseph Bancroft & Thomas Bancroft".Monument Australia.Archivedfrom the original on 8 July 2021.Retrieved8 July2021.
- ^"The Bancrofts and the Bancroft Electorate".chriswhiting.com.au.Retrieved19 April2022.
- ^"Queensland Place Histories - Kelvin Grove | State Library Of Queensland".www.slq.qld.gov.au.23 May 2008.Retrieved19 April2022.
- ^"Dr Joseph Bancroft and Dr Thomas Lane Bancroft Papers".State Library of Queensland.Retrieved18 January2023.
- Serle, Percival(1949)."Bancroft, Joseph".Dictionary of Australian Biography.Sydney:Angus & Robertson.
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research History
- M. Josephine Mackerras, 'Bancroft, Joseph (1836–1894)',Australian Dictionary of Biography,Volume 3,MUP,1969, pp 84–85.
Further reading
[edit]- Mennell, Philip(1892)..The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.London: Hutchinson & Co – viaWikisource.
Additional source listed by theAustralian Dictionary of Biography:
- E. Ford, 'The life and influence of Joseph Bancroft',Medical Journal of Australia,4 February 1961
External links
[edit]Dr Joseph Bancroft and Dr Thomas Lane Bancroft Papers.State Library of Queensland
.
Media related toJoseph Bancroftat Wikimedia Commons
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