Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (1873 - 1961)

Summary

The Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital was formally established on 29 July 1873. However it had several antecedents, starting with the Eye and Ear Institution, a private charitable clinic founded by surgeon and ophthalmologist Andrew Gray. This became a public facility on 26 December 1866 as the Melbourne Institution for Diseases of the Eye and Ear. The Ophthalmic and Orthopaedic Institution was started in August 1869 by oculist Aubrey Bowen and surgeon Ewin Jones. These latter two Institutions amalgamated on 1 January 1871 to become the Melbourne Eye and Ear Institution. Twelve years later the name was changed to the Victorian Eye and Ear hospital (VEEH). Gray was appointed surgeon and occulist for life of the Melbourne Institution, and continued working at the VEEH for the rest of his carfeer. Bowen made a large bequest to the VEEH which was used to fund expansion of the Hospital. Augustus Kenny was appointed in 1886, the first paid surgeon. On 11 January 1961 the VEEH became the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.

Related entries

Timeline

 1873 - 1961 Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
       1961 - Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

Published resources

Books

• Donovan, P. F., An ornament to the city: the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (East Melbourne: Royal Victorian Eye and ear Hospital, 1992), 265 pp. Details
• Gardiner, Lyndsay, The eye and ear: The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital centenary history (Melbourne: Robertson & Mullens, 1968), 114 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Lowe, Ronald F., 'Early Melbourne eye and ear hospitals, and Dr Turnbull's house at 101 (157) Spring Street', Australian and New Zealand journal of surgery, 50 (5) (1980), 546-9, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1445-2197.1980.tb04192.x. Details