Obituaries Australia

We very much regret to announce the death of Dr. Smith, which took place last night at his residence in Williamson-street, at about eleven o'clock. Dr. Smith never entirely recovered from the effects of a very serious fall from his horse, which occurred about twelve months back; it was, however, only within the last two or three months that he was confined to his house, and that it became evident that there was no hope of his ultimate recovery. The immediate cause of death was, we understand, effusion on the brain.

Dr. Smith was a native of Ballymony, County Antrim, Ireland, and was educated in Edinburgh. His first residence in these colonies was in Adelaide, where he arrived in 1846, where he soon rose into extensive practice. Dr. Smith's connection with Bendigo dates back almost to the first opening of this goldfield. He established himself here in 1852, and soon took the very highest rank in his profession amongst us. His talents were of a very high order, and he was particularly distinguished as a bold, skilful, and successful operator in surgical cases. Dr. Smith at one time took a leading interest in our local matters, and was a partner in the first banking establishment started here, namely, the Bendigo Bank, of which Mr Emmett was the projector.

With many excellent qualities, a kind heart, a generous disposition, and natural abilities of a high order, it is painful to think how useful and distinguished a career has been cut off untimely in the early death of Dr. Smith—he was only 38 years of age–and that the cause is one which is the curse of our colonial life, and to which Dr. Smith has fallen a victim. It may appear unkind to make this allusion to the one fatal blot in the character of one who is now no more, but the facts are too notorious for even friendship to throw a veil over them, and it would be false delicacy to shut our eyes to warnings, which, in this instance especially, the living may receive from the dead.