Biographical entry: Parker, Douglas (1900 - 1988)
- Born
- 1900
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia - Died
- 1988
Summary
Douglas William Leigh Parker, was a pioneer of orthopaedic surgery of world renown.
Details
Born in Sydney, Parker worked nearly all his adult life in Tasmania. After studying and working in Sydney and Britain, he practised as a general practitioner in New Norfolk until honorary work won him the post of Surgeon-Superintendent at the Royal Hobart Hospital. During the Second World War, he ran the army hospital at Campbell Town after being invalided home from the Middle East.
Parker's life's work included an innovative fight against the particularly severe Tasmanian polio epidemics, and the pioneering of hip replacements in Australia. Parker vociferously championed the use of seat belts and crash helmets and was instrumental in the establishment of the local medical school. After retiring from surgical work, he began a second career of twenty years in rehabilitation. The former Douglas Parker rehabilitation unit was named after him in recognition of his services.
James Parker