George Britton Halford
George Britton Halford (26 November 1824 – 27 May 1910) was an
Background
Halford was born in
Studies
Halford began teaching with only three students which in the next 15 years increased to about 70. His task indeed was only made possible by the comparatively small classes in those early years. He was offered the fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 1870 but never actually went in. He had in the meantime done some research work in comparative anatomy, and had begun his work on the poison of snakes which he continued for many years. As Halford neared 60 years, he began to feel the strain of his combined offices, but the appointment of a brilliant young assistant, Harry Brookes Allen, who became lecturer in anatomy and pathology in 1882, must have made his position easier. Allen became professor of descriptive and surgical anatomy and pathology in 1883, and Halford took the title of professor of general anatomy, physiology and histology. Though easing down in his work to some extent, he was still a great influence with the students. Sir Richard Stawell, who graduated in 1898, has testified that "there was something always really 'great' about the old professor; and when he discussed with us the records of his original work of long ago, there was to be got from his lectures something splendid and even inspiring" (address at the Masonic Hall, 1 May 1914). In September 1896 Halford was given leave of absence on account of ill-health until the end of 1897. This leave was afterwards extended and he did not become emeritus professor until 1900. After his retirement he lived at Beaconsfield near Melbourne and was much interested in the development of coal-mining in South Gippsland. He celebrated his golden wedding in 1907 and died at Inverloch, Victoria, on 27 May 1910. He was survived by three daughters and six sons, two of whom entered the medical profession. In 1928 his family founded the Halford Oration at the Australian Institute of Anatomy, Canberra. A list of Halford's contributions to medical literature can be found in the Medical Journal of Australia for 19 January 1929, page 71.
Creationism
Halford was a
Publications
- On the Time and Manner of Closure of the Auriculo-Ventricular Valves (1861)
- Not Like Man, Bimanous and Biped, nor yet Quadrumanous, but Cheiropodous (1863)
- Lines of Demarcation Between Man, Gorilla, & Macaque (1864)
- Thoughts, Observations and Experiments on the Action of Snake Venom on the Blood (1894)
See also
References
- ^ a b Mozley, Ann. (1967). Evolution and the Climate of Opinion in Australia, 1840-76. Victorian Studies 10 (4): 411–430.
- ^ Numbers, Ronald L; Stenhouse, John (2001). Disseminating Darwinism: The Role of Place, Race, Religion, and Gender. Cambridge University Press. pp. 41-42
- K. F. Russell, 'Halford, George Britton (1824 - 1910)', MUP, 1972, pp 321–322. Retrieved 3 January 2009
- Serle, Percival (1949). "Halford, George Britton". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
Further reading
- Barry Butcher. (1988). Gorilla Warfare in Melbourne: Halford, Huxley and Man's Place in Nature. In R. W. Home. Australian Science in the Making. Cambridge University Press. pp. 153–167. ISBN 0-521-39640-9