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Abbie, Andrew Arthur (1905 - 1976)

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Anatomist and Anthropologist
Born: 8 February 1905  Gillingham, Kent, England.  Died: 22 July 1976  Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Andrew Arthur Abbie migrated to New South Wales (NSW) with his family in the early 1920’s. He enrolled at Sydney University in 1924 and completed his BS in 1929. This lead him to a successful and decorated career in medicine, anthropology and education. Dr Andrew Abbie worked at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW), University Collage London, The University of Sydney, in the Australian Imperial Force and at the University of Adelaide where he was appointed the Elder chair of anatomy and histology in 1945 and emeritus professor in medicine,1971. Abbie was a foundation and life member of the Anatomical Society of Australia and New Zealand, a life member of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and served as Chairman of the South Australian Board of Aboriginal Affairs for 10 years.

Career Highlights
In December 1941 Andrew Arthur Abbie served as Captain in the Australian Military Force. He was later transferred to the Australian Imperial Force (1942) and underwent training at the Chemical Warfare Physiology School at the University of Melbourne. In 1943 Abbie was appointed to train medical personal in treating casualties of chemical warfare and then in 1944 was sent to Townsville and Papua with the school to study the physiological effects of chemical warfare agents in tropical conditions. In December of the same year he left the military service and moved to South Australia. As Elder chair of anatomy and histology at the University of Adelaide, Abbie was involved in planning the new medical school building, he was the principal lecturer, and continued his research in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. In the 1950’s his interest moved to the anthropology of Aborigines and he conducted many expeditions to aboriginal communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory. He progressed through the ranks at the University and retired in 1970, after having published over 120 papers and several resource and academic text books. His service to the University of Adelaide are commemorated annually through the Abbie Memorial Lecture in neuro-anatomy and related fields.

Apart from research and academia, Abbie was also heavily involved in many professional societies and committees. He was a foundation and later life member and president of the Anatomical Society of Australia and New Zealand, a life member of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, President, Anthropological Society of South Australia, Chairman, South Australian Board of Studies in Physiotherapy, Chairman, South Australian Board of Aboriginal Affairs, and University of Adelaide representative on the South Australian Aboriginal & Historical Relics Advisory Board.

Chronology
c. 1920Bachelor of Medicine (MB) completed at the University of Sydney
c. 1920Bachelor of Science (BSc) completed at the University of Sydney
1929Bachelor of Surgery (BS) completed at the University of Sydney
1930 - 1931Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
1932 - 1934Travelling Fellowship received from Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research to work as a Medical Research Fellow at University College, London
1934Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) completed in London
1934Married Frieda Ruth Heighway at the Moore Theological College Chapel in Newtown, NSW
1935 - 1941Senior Lecturer in Anatomy at the University of Sydney
1936Doctor of Medicine (MD) received from the University of Sydney
1940The Principles of Anatomy - an undergraduate text book, published in Sydney
1941Human Physiology - an undergraduate textbook, published in Sydney
1941Doctor of Science (DSc) received from the University of Sydney
1941 - 1942Captain in the Australian Military Forces
1942 - 1944Major with the Australian Imperial Force
1945 - 1970Elder Chair of Anatomy and Histology at the University of Adelaide
1948President of the Anthropological Society of South Australia
1949Associate Dean at the University of Adelaide
1950 - 1952Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Adelaide
1950 - 1966Chairman of the South Australian Board of Studies in Physiotherapy
1951President of the Anthropological Section of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1951 - 1966Council Chair of the Presbyterian Girl's College in Adelaide
1955 - 1959Associate Dean at the University of Adelaide
1959President of the Anthropological Society of South Australia
1963Death of first wife
1963 - 1972Chairman of the South Australian Board of Aboriginal Affairs
1964Acting President of the Anatmical Society of Australia and New Zealand
1965 - 1967President of the Anatmical Society of Australia and New Zealand
1967Married Audrey Katherine Allen Simpson at the Unitarian Christian Church in Adelaide
1969The Original Australians published
1971 - Emeritus Professor at theUniversity of Adelaide
1971Life member of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland

 
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Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.Prepared by: McCarthy, G.J.
Created: 20 October 1993
Modified: 29 January 2007

Published by The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre on ASAPWeb, 1994 - 2007
Originally published 1994-1999 by Australian Science Archives Project, 1999-2006 by the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre
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Updated: 26 February 2007
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