Obituaries Australia

It will be learned with great regret that Dr Samuel Dougan Bird died on Sunday at his residence in Kensington-road, South Yarra. His health had been failing for some time. Dr Bird, who for more than 40 years had been a leading figure in medicine and surgery in Australia, had a varied and distinguished life. He was born in November , 1832, in Lichfield, England, and after  graduating in his profession he became resident assistant physician at the Brompton Hospital. At the outbreak of the Crimean War Dr. (then Mr.) Bird accepted a position as surgeon on the British medical staff attached to the Turkish army. Subsequently he received the Crimean medal, the Sebastopol clasp, the Turkish war medal, and the Order of the Medjidie. On the declaration  of peace in 1856 Dr. Bird returned to England and practised his profession in Richmond, Surrey. In February, 1861, being in ill-health, he came to Melbourne, and found the climate so beneficial that he settled here. practicing as a specialist in lung  diseases. For a long time he was lecturer in materia medica and therapeutics in the  Melbourne University and subsequently he occupied the chair of the theory and practice of medicine. For over thirty years he was chief medical officer of the A.M.P. Society in Victoria, and in 1800 he was president of the Victorian Medical Society. Dr.  Bird published several valuable medical  works. He leaves a widow and a family of whom Mr. Fred Bird, the well known surgeon is one. The funeral takes place at  half past 2 this afternoon.