Blackburn, Charles Ruthven Bickerton (Ruthven) (1913 - 2016)

Summary

Ruthven Blackburn was an eminent physician and considered to be the pioneer of clinical research at the University of Sydney. During his time as Bosch Professor of Medicine at the University, significant advances were made in the fields of respiratory medicine (particularly asthma), immunology, metabolic diseases and community medicine. He established key academic and research posts to which he appointed highly competent staff. Blackburn was also committed to the development of both academic departments in teaching hospitals and a strong research-orientated academic group on campus, with strong links between the two. Many of his students became professors, and heads of clinical and research departments. Before joining the University he served with the Australian Army Medical Corps during WWII. As Commanding Officer of the Medical Research Unit in Cairns he worked closely with Neil Fairley on the treatment of malaria. Between 1949 and 1957 Blackburn was Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Under his directorship the Unit became a centre of cutting-edge work in blood diseases, liver disorders and clinical biochemistry. Blackburn's own research was on liver disease: his published output was over 90 papers. The Ruthven Blackburn Medal is awarded in alternate years by the University of Sydney School of Medicine to recognise sustained, distinguished and notable contribution to clinical research and a demonstrated commitment to mentoring junior colleagues by a senior of member of the School.

Details

Chronology

1936

Education - MB BS (hons), University of Sydney

1937 - 1940

Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

1939

Education - MD, University of Sydney

1940 - 1946

Military service - Served with the Australian Army Medical Corps

1947 - 1949

Career position - Rockefeller Foundation Fellow, Columbia University, New York, U.S.A.

1949 - 1956

Career position - Director, Clinical Research Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1949 - 1978

Career position - Physician, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1953 - 2016

Education - Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1956 - 2016

Education - Fellow, Royal College of Physicians, London

1957 - 1978

Career position - Bosch Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, University of Sydney

1957 - 1983

Career position - Physician, Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney

1959 - 1971

Career position - Member of Council, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1961 - 1984

Career position - Member, Board of Directors, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1969 - 1974

Career position - Member of the Senate, University of Sydney

1970 - 1984

Career position - Chairman, Australian Tobacco Research Foundation

1971 - 1972

Career position - President, Gastroenterology Society of Australia

1978

Career event - Retired

1979

Award - Hamilton Fairley Medal, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

1984

Award - Royal Australasian College of Physicians Medal

1984 - 1985

Career position - Chairman, Board of Directors, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney

1991

Award - MD honoris causa, University of Sydney

26 Jan 2006

Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for service to the development of academic medicine and medical education in Australia, particularly in relation to the evolving relationship between research and clinical practice, and as a mentor influencing the professional development of a generation of leading health care professionals

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Blackburn, C. R. B., 'Blackburn, Sir Charles Bickerton (1874-1972), physician and university chancellor' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1979), pp. 308-310. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blackburn-sir-charles-bickerton-5257. Details
• Blackburn, C. R. B., 'Lambie, Charles George (1891-1961), professor of medicine' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 9: 1891 - 1939 Gil-Las, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1983), pp. 651-652. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lambie-charles-george-7016. Details
• Blackburn, C. R. B., 'Wade, Sir Robert Blakeway (1874-1954), orthopaedic surgeon' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 12: 1891 - 1939 Smy-Z, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1990), pp. 343-344. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wade-sir-robert-blakeway-8941. Details

Journal Articles

• Anderson, Warwick, ''Becoming a Man of Experience': Interview with C. Ruthven B. Blackburn', Health and History, 15 (1) (2013), 118-29. Details

Newspaper Articles

• Garsia, Roger, Blackburn, Simon and Blackburn, Angus, ' Professor Ruthven Blackburn - a life spent in service of medicine and his country', Sydney morning herald (2016), https://www.smh.com.au/national/professor-charles-blackburn--a-life-spent-in-service-of-medicine-and-his-country-20160523-gp1q6v.html. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Charles Ruthven Bickerton Blackburn b. 7 May 1913 d. 12 April 2016 AC (2006), MB BS Sydney (1936), MD (1939), MRCP (1939), MRACP (1940), FRACP (1953), FRCP (1956), Hon MD Sydney (1991), Hon MD Newcastle', in Inspiring physicians, Royal College of Physicians, London, 2019. https://history.rcp.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/charles-ruthven-bickerton-blackburn. Details
• Mellor, Lise and Witton, Vanessa, 'Blackburn, Charles Ruthven Bickerton MD 1939, MD honoris causa 1991', in University of Sydney School of Medicine Online Museum, Faculty of Medicine Online Museum and Archive, University of Sydney, 2008. https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Blackburn,_Charles_Ruthven_Bickerton. Details

See also

• Who's who in Australia 2012 (Melbourne: Crown Content Pty Ltd, 2012), 2430 pp. Details