Joseph Bancroft was a famous surgeon and parasitologist. He is known for his investigations regarding the root cause of filaria. Bancroft was born on February 21, 1836 and later on immigrated to Australia.
Early life of Joseph Bancroft
Bancroft was born in Stretford, Manchester. He was the only child of his parents. He joined as an apprentice under Dr Jeremiah Renshaw at Sale in Cheshire. He won several prizes when he was studying at the Manchester Royal School of Medicine and Surgery. Bancroft obtained his medical degree from The University of St. Andrews in 1859 and became member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Bancroft chose to start his practice in Nottingham, England where he spent five years. During this period he developed a passionate love for nature and became the President of the Nottingham Naturalist Society. His health however, started deteriorating due to some renal problem.
Career of Joseph Bancroft in Australia
Bancroft boarded the ship 'Lady Young' and traveled along with it as a surgeon. Finally he arrived on the coast of Brisbane on '29th October 1864. The warm climate of Australia coupled with a short break helped to improve his health after, which he began practicing in a residential quarter of Brisbane and established himself as a prominent physician and surgeon.
Brisbane General Hospital appointed him as a visiting surgeon in 1867. Bancroft became a house surgeon in the same hospital in 1868. By 1870 he established himself as one of the prominent physician and resumed practice at Carlton in Wickham Terrace. Bancroft was more attracted towards research activities. He discovered the medical properties of
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Dubosia Myoporoides, properties of pituri. He traveled extensively the East, Europe and Africa and studied and examined different diseases of the various countries.
After coming back to Australia, as an ardent naturalist he studied in depth various properties of native plants. He will always be remembered for his investigations about Filaria. For the first time in medical history, he discovered the worm in an abscess and later in a fluid which had been tapped from a hydrocele during a surgical operation. He suggested that the disease was transmitted by mosquitoes. The transmission takes place by drinking water, which has been infected by the mosquito released parasites.
Bancroft had also served as a public health officer. He convinced the people of Brisbane to drink boiling water to reduce the risk of dysentery, typhoid and filariasis. Along with this he also made notable research on leprosy. Bancroft's interest in viticulture instigated him to produce rust proof wheat and the culture of Oysters. He found out ways of meat preservation and opened a factory near his property at the Deception Bay. Further, he explored other means to preserve other foods like fish and vegetables.
As a leading scientist of his times, Bancroft held the post of vice president of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science many times. He also served as the president of Queensland Medical Board, Royal Society of Queensland, and the Medical Society of Queensland. Bancroft as a medical practitioner played a pivotal role in promoting and exploring new avenues in medical research. The main building of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research has been named after him.
Joseph Bancroft died after succumbing to a sudden coronary attack, on June 16, 1894 in Brisbane, leaving behind his wife, a son and a daughter.
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