A recent audit of the College's corporate archive has revealed a cache of long forgotten letters written by some of history's most famous medical men. In addition to letters written by William Osler, William Gowers, Samuel Wilks, Almroth Wright and Australia's first neurologist Alfred Campbell, the letter that caught my eye revealed an interesting surgical practice at Sydney Hospital in 19th century Australia.

The letter was written by a Mr. W. H. Deane to College secretary Dorothy Roseby in 1962, in regards to Sydney medical practitioner Andrew Houison. Houison had undertaken post-graduate research with the pioneer of antiseptic surgery, Professor Joseph Lister, and was offered a position as Lister's research assistant. As a result of gaining a practice at Parramatta purchased on his behalf by his father, Houison was unable to accept the position which led to his lifelong regret:

'not accepting Lister's invitation was my greatest mistake'.

After reading the letter I can understand his despair. Deane recounts the following story told to him by Houison's daughter, Winnie:

'Father and Sir Phillip [Sydney Jones] both held honorary positions at the Sydney Infirmary and one evening father remarked to Sir Phillip that if matron did not desist from bringing that dog into the operating room, he would retire. Whereupon Sir Phillip replied: 'dont be a fool, Andrew. Don't be a fool.' In those days they could not staunch the bleeding and the Matron had thought to improve things by having the dog in to lick up the blood. The surgeons themselves came into the operating room in their oldest clothes.'

Deane goes on to write:

One may imagine the feelings of a man coming fresh from clean listerian surgery and it seems Mr. Houison would have played an important part in preparing the way in this country against the universal opposition to listerian methods.'

Mercifully, this particular letter used typeface. Deciphering the cursive handwriting in the other six letters will take a little longer - translating what has been written is stretching my skills for reading doctor's handwriting a little. Notwithstanding this, all of the newly rediscovered letters will be digitised and added to the catalogue in the coming weeks.