helen mary october november australian medical doctor medical educator born raised adelaide enrolled studied medicine graduating spent years working infant health england ireland india returned adelaide starting private practice taking positions adelaide children hospital adelaide hospital founded mothers receive advice infant health organisation mothers eventually established branches south_australia incorporated training school maternal nurses unsuccessfully campaigning treat founded addition medical achievements participated number organisations heavily involved serving university council woman australia elected position establishing women club boarding college founder organisation professional women died november success south_australia infant welfare system efforts early life education born adelaide australia october eldest seven children civil engineer née granddaughter prominent adelaide doctor formal education commenced age began receiving regular lessons tutor age enrolled forerunner year end despite having heard female doctors early age set pursuing career medicine professor advised helen father young commence study medicine enrolled death younger sister olive end year study meant unable sit final exams year repeated year failed subjects latin greek having gained father permission enrolled medicine distinguished medicine student coming class winning scholarship fourth fifth years study respectively medical career graduation end took position resident medical officer february left england gain practical experience worked clinical clerk great street london gain experience went dublin returning london complete course tropical medicine travelled india worked year hospital women children returned adelaide started private practice premises owned father street family home spare time hands began laboratory work adelaide hospital took appointment honorary presented paper interstate conference subject infant mortality addressed high infant mortality rate south_australia claimed needed educate women later year hearing talk success school mothers london daughter founded room offices available afternoon week nurse weigh babies advice annual meeting school prominent medical doctor criticised organisation thinking teach mothers guided mother instinct childless spite organisation flourished cottage wright street purchased headquarters school organisation mothers branches south_australia served honorary medical officer association death time organisation gained training school maternal nurses hospital honour association inaugurated annual lecture eventually incorporated visiting melbourne learn appointed clinical adelaide hospital position hold years early 1910s urgent need medical facilities treat south_australia risks cross infection treat age called meeting medical practitioners discuss prospect hospital children doubts plan expressed group raised funds presented board plan use funds build separate ward grounds hospital board rejected proposal group rented story house opened hospital financial difficulties hospital eventually overwhelming state government took hospital moving renaming played central role establishing forming policy serving honourable physician honorary responsible officer combat risks cross infection instituted policy strict isolation babies patients child locker equipment kept nurses tend child child blankets bottles floors eventually bed hospital complete surgical unit ward premature babies later medical career advertised honorary physicians believing gender prevent given position initially declined apply following recommendation adelaide surgeon applied post year appointed honorary assistant physician charge positions commitments private practice commenced doctor medicine degree experiences clinical basis thesis forced write weekends volume workload following year woman receive subsequently appointed honorary physician clinical lecturer appointed officer order british empire services connection maternal child welfare state south_australia retired honorary consulting physician second world war broke returned hospital senior adviser time organising red_cross donor service february author abc appointed medical officer daughter industrialist politician activities woman australia elected university council elected position held years founded inaugural president club provided place women leaders respective fields meet aimed advance status women world arts letters heavily involved life female students graduates spearheaded foundation eventually initiated efforts unify student bodies university eventually construction lady simon building large efforts founding served died november aged obituary described medical women south_australia probably australia credited efficiency south_australia infant health welfare system named
Helen Mayo