In an age when there were still men of stature Stewart Arthur Smith - who was always referred to as `SA' - stood out as an impressive man even among impressive colleagues. He was born at Grafton on 1 December 1880, the youngest of a family of six which included Grafton Elliott Smith, the renowned anatomist and anthropologist. Following his education at Sydney High School where he was one of the leaders in scholarship and athletics, he entered the faculty of medicine at the University of Sydney in 1898 and graduated at the end of 1902 with second-class honours. His university days were marked by a number of extra-curricular activities including the literary magazine Hermes, song-writing, pen and pencil drawing and acting.

After graduation he served two years as resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and then went into general practice at Glebe, near the University. He built up a large practice and while doing so was a demonstrator in anatomy at the University from 1905 to 1912, lecturer from 1912 to 1919 and acting professor during the absence of JT Wilson from 1913 to 1915. At this time he conducted research on the anatomy of the Australian aboriginal which formed the basis of a number of papers, including a famous publication on the Talgai skull. In 1906 he married Muriel Pitt, daughter of Robert Pitt of the wool firm, Pitt, Son and Badgery Ltd. They had three daughters, all of whom later displayed talent on the stage.

In 1910 he was appointed to Royal Prince Alfred as an honorary assistant physician. He soon established a reputation as an able clinician and an excellent teacher. His work brought him into close contact with Arthur Mills and Sinclair Gillies, both of whom strongly influenced him.

He was also appointed to St Vincent's Hospital as an assistant physician in 1914 and was given senior status as an honorary physician in 1920. St Vincent's was made a teaching hospital in 1923. He reached senior status at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1925, and soon after resigned from St Vincent's as the load of two senior teaching hospital posts was too demanding even for him. He was now in full flight - as a physician in consulting practice in Macquarie Street, as a bedside teacher and as a university lecturer in clinical medicine. He developed a considerable reputation in all these fields, and was particularly popular as a teacher, with large numbers crowding to his lectures and clinical teaching sessions. Under the aegis of the University of Sydney a postgraduate school in medicine and surgery was established in 1938 at Prince Henry Hospital. SA Smith became lecturer in postgraduate medicine and director of the medical unit, retiring at the the same time from the active staff of Royal Prince Alfred. This unit functioned only until the outbreak of war the following year, when its operations were suspended, but his association with the Postgraduate Committee in Medicine continued and he became its chairman.

SA had been a foundation member of the Association of Physicians which came into being in 1930. He maintained a strong interest in this body, became a councillor, and was one of the architects of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, of which he was a founder, the first honorary treasurer (1938-44), vice-president (1944-46), president (1946-48) and a councillor till 1956. His influence on the College was great. A special council minute recording his death on 5 February 1961 states:

Of the persons in New South Wales who did most for the College in its formative years two names stand out. The first was the late Allan Seymour Walker, the first honorary secretary of the College; the other was Stewart Arthur Smith who not only controlled the finances of the College but worked indefatigably in the purchase, the extensions and the establishment of its home in Macquarie Street, Sydney. The charm of the council room, the colourful comfort of the Stawell Hall and the design of the academic robes of Fellows and Members took origin largely, if not entirely, in his imaginative mind.

He set the policy for the financial affairs of the College and for the management of the College property, including the building which it owned and partly occupied. He was a strong councillor, an excellent speaker, forthright in promoting a cause in which he believed, witty and persuasive. He was interested in broad issues and had little time for minor detail, which he left to others. He saved his fire for causes which he regarded as important, and once engaged in combat, he rarely lost. He had little time for stupidity or for mediocrity posing as greatness, and sometimes he showed this in debate.

One of his great interests was the promotion of research. He was chief medical officer of the AMP Society, the largest life insurance company in Australia, and was the moving spirit behind the setting up of the medical research fund of the Life Offices Association, to support cardiovascular research. On the formation of the Australian Rheumatism Council in 1949 he became its first chairman - an interest stimulated by his wife's rheumatoid arthritis and the recent discovery in the United States of the clinical effects of cortisone. He was the chairman of the College's research advisory committee from 1951 to 1957.

Throughout his life he maintained his interest in the arts and sport, particularly horse racing. No matter how crowded his waiting room he regularly interrupted his consultations for morning tea with CG McDonald on Wednesdays and Saturdays - these were race days. Over tea they would have a learned but leisurely discussion about the prospects of various horses for that afternoon. Meanwhile their patients waited, uncomplaining and presumably unaware of the subject of their joint study. He was a big man, physically and intellectually, with great dignity and wit, a twinkle in his eye and a sense of humour which never deserted him, - a giant in his profession and a strong influence on the young College.