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Frank Carl Andrew (1883–1926)

One of the foremost specialists of the medical profession in Melbourne, Dr. Frank Andrew, died yesterday morning while on a yachting cruise in Corio Bay. Although he was aged only 43 years, and had never been outside Australia, Dr. Andrew was recognised as an authority in nose and throat treatment.

Dr. Andrew was an enthusiastic yachtsman. He was accustomed to spend the weekends on cruises in his yacht in Port Phillip Bay. On longer vacations he ventured into Bass Straits. On Saturday Dr. Andrew set sail in his yacht with Dr. Harold R. Dew, of Collins street, and a seaman. He appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. On no occasion had he given his friends any cause for anxiety on account of physical weakness. When the yacht was off Portarlington he retired to the cabin, leaving Dr. Dew and the seaman on deck.

Dr. Dew, hearing sounds of distress below, hurried to his friend's side, and found him barely conscious. Dr. Andrew died almost as soon as Dr. Dew reached him, of heart affection. Dr. Dew had the sad experience of sailing the yacht with Dr. Andrew's body aboard, from Portarlington to Little Dock, in the river, yesterday afternoon.

Dr. Andrew was the son of the late Professor Henry Martyn Andrew, professor of natural philosophy at the Melbourne University from 1883 to 1888, and member of the University Council 1878-86. It is a coincidence that Professor Andrew died at sea, at the age of 43, in 1888. Dr. Andrew was educated at Cumloden private grammar school, East St. Kilda, by the late Mr. Martin Burn. He went from Cumloden to the Melbourne University, and was one of the most brilliant students of Trinity College. At the age of 22 he graduated with honours. He became resident medical officer at the Melbourne Hospital, and later accepted a resident position on the staff of the Children's Hospital. After two years with the latter institution Dr. Andrew went to Western Australia. Soon after his arrival in that State in 1906 he became seriously ill with septic poisoning, following typhoid fever, and it is now thought that this severe illness left behind it the weakness to which might be traced the cause of his death yesterday.

In 1913 Dr Andrew returned to Victoria, having in the meantime qualified himself to take up highly specialised work in the treatment of nose and throat affections.

He accepted a position as honorary medical officer in part charge of the nose and throat department of the Melbourne Hospital, where his dexterity and advanced knowledge won him a high reputation.

Dr. R. R. Stawell paid a fine tribute last night to Dr. Andrew, whom he described as a brilliant specialist, whose death was the more deplorable because at the height of his wonderful powers he stood as an example to every young Australian of what could be accomplished in Australia by sheer application.

"By the death of Dr. Andrew, Melbourne and Australia have lost one of the most brilliant of our specialists," said Dr. Stawell. He was in the very forefront of his profession, and his dexterity was ever amazing to me. I have often compared his hands to those of Sir Thomas Fitzgerald. Dr. Andrew was an extraordinarily fine example of a young Australian who surmounted the disadvantages of distance from the centres of medical science overseas and won an established reputation by his ability to keep abreast of every advancement in knowledge. I used to read of new apparatus and new methods just discovered in England, and I would find that Dr. Andrew was already applying both in his work in the hospitals. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to his hospital work, and was a splendid example of service to the community."

Dr. Andrew married Miss Mima Urquhart of Caramut, Western district. He leaves a widow, a son (a student at Geelong Grammar School), and a daughter. The funeral will leave his late home, in Moralla road, Kooyong, at 11 o'clock to-morrow morning, for the Brighton Cemetery.

Original publication

Citation details

'Andrew, Frank Carl (1883–1926)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/andrew-frank-carl-19213/text30746, accessed 19 March 2024.

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