Skip to main content
About
About the RACP
What is a physician or paediatrician?
Membership
College structure
Board and governance
College Council
Committees
Accreditation
Ethics
Consumer Advisory Group
Special Interest Groups
The ROC
Multi-factor authentication
Our heritage
Get involved
Careers at RACP
Medical positions
MyRACP
Congress 2024
News and Events
News
The President's Message
RACP 2024 Elections
Media releases
Events
Congress 2024
Expressions of Interest
RACP in the media
COVID-19
Quick facts
Policy and Advocacy
Represent your profession
Policy and Advocacy Priorities
Policy and Advocacy Library
CPAC reports
Evolve
Voice to Parliament
Make It The Norm
Division, Faculty and Chapter Priorities
Regional Committee Priorities
RACP Foundation
Donate to Foundation
About us
Research Awards and Career Grants
College and Congress prizes
Division, Faculty and Chapter Awards & Prizes
Regional Awards & Prizes
Indigenous Scholarships & Prizes
International Grants
Student Scholarships & Prizes
Terms and Conditions
Our recipients
Contact us
Toggle mobile menu
Search
Home
Become a Physician
Trainees
Fellows
Overseas specialists
About
About the RACP
What is a physician or paediatrician?
Membership
College structure
Board and governance
College Council
Committees
Accreditation
Ethics
Consumer Advisory Group
Special Interest Groups
The ROC
Multi-factor authentication
Our heritage
College Roll
College timeline
History of Medicine Library
Past office bearers
Get involved
Careers at RACP
Medical positions
MyRACP
News and Events
Expressions of Interest
Policy and Advocacy
RACP Foundation
Wellbeing
Contact us
Pomegranate Health
Close menu
▲
Search
Open section menu
▼
About
About the RACP
What is a physician or paediatrician?
Membership
College structure
Board and governance
College Council
Committees
Accreditation
Ethics
Consumer Advisory Group
Special Interest Groups
The ROC
Multi-factor authentication
Our heritage
College Roll
College timeline
History of Medicine Library
Past office bearers
Get involved
Careers at RACP
Medical positions
MyRACP
Open section menu
▼
College Roll Bio
Read, Francis Harold
Share
Qualifications
MB BS Syd (1941) MRACP (1947) FRACP (1963)
Born
21/03/1917
Died
16/10/1981
How well does a fellow student know what lies ahead for a contemporary? I quote from the 1941 year book:
Frank must be a specialist as in these modern times he will have no opportunity to indulge in his love of conversation as a busy GP.
These observations were well and truly brought home to me while working with him in a short-staffed, extremely busy casualty at Sydney Hospital in early 1942. I am sure the four dear old ladies he saw were most appreciative of the time he spent with them while I had to give very rapid attention to the huge numbers that piled up. On another occasion, post war, Frank offered me a lift home but stopped twice to see two patients on the way. The very short drive took nigh on two hours.
Throughout his university career Frank was deeply involved with the University Regiment, but strangely enough joined the RAAF in which he served for four years in New Guinea. He obtained his college membership in 1947 and commenced a semi-GP/specialised practice in the western suburbs holding in particular an appointment to the Masonic Hospital. He later obtained an appointment as a physician with a particular interest in respiratory medicine at Sydney Hospital. His practice was indeed a diversified one and included the position of medical officer to the then Bank of New South Wales and to a subsidiary of BHP. In addition he was referee to the Cremation Society.
Later in his career he opened a branch practice in the Moss Vale area and it was here he initially became involved and interested in horse breeding, in particular, having a stud for the breeding of race horses. Later he transferred his interests to Scone where he did some consultant work in addition to running a stud as before, which was his particular hobby and interest. His other great interest was Masonry and he attained the high honour of Deputy Grand Master.
In later life Frank was plagued with poor health, suffering emphysema although I do not remember him as being a particular heavy smoker. It seemed no time at all between playing golf with him at Avondale and his becoming quite incapacitated.
The parking attendants at Sydney Hospital used to drive him to his rooms in Macquarie Street and pick him up at the end of the day as he was quite unable to walk that distance. I can still hear him wheezing his way to the telephone and I believe his waiting room never ran to schedule as he needed to take time out to use his ventolin. He attended our first reunion dinner in 1962 and had made arrangements to come to our reunion in 1986, but he unfortunately succumbed to his illness a short while before that dinner was held. In spite of his complete unawareness of time, he was greatly admired by his patients who were always prepared to put up with a long wait to see him.
Author
C HAMBLY
References
Last Updated
May 30, 2018, 17:34 PM
Close overlay