1384

family doctors and had to present themselves to me, ascity medical officer, for authentication of their vaccinationcertificates.

It seems inevitable that there will be a further dispersionof people to countries where smallpox is a risk or in whichthe health authorities require vaccination as a pre-requisite for entry. In view of the unpleasant reactionsinseparable from primary vaccination in adults it mustbe regarded as a great folly to postpone this procedure ininfancy.

REFERENCE

Galpine, J. F. (1951) Lancet, i, 910.

Special Articles

AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF

MEDICAL RESEARCH

IN 1946 the National University of Australia wasfounded as a national centre for research and research

training. It was Australia’s constructive response to the

complaints that many able scientists left the country to

study and work at universities and institutions in GreatBritain. This depletion was most sharply felt in themedical sciences, for at that time the only Australianmedical research institute with an international reputa-tion was the comparatively small Walter and Eliza HallInstitute in Melbourne. As long ago as 1944 Sir HowardFlorey, himself an Australian graduate, had suggested ina report to the Commonwealth Government that a

national institute for advanced medical sciences shouldbe set up. This project was accordingly included in theearly plans of the new university, and until 1955 SirHoward Florey was adviser to the council of the uni-versity in the establishment of the John Curtin School ofMedical Research. Last March, at Canberra, in the

presence of the Australian Prime Minister, Sir Howardformally opened the buildings which are to be the school’spermanent home.

From its earliest days the school has thus had his supportand counsel, and at its inception it followed his wise suggestionnot to let men wait on bricks and mortar and in 1948 appointedprofessors to establish the first departments though there werethen no laboratories in Canberra. The departments were startedin laboratory space lent by several institutions: biochemistryat the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne;medical chemistry at the Wellcome Research Institution inLondon; microbiology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institutein Melbourne; experimental pathology in Sir Howard’slaboratories in Oxford ; and physiology in the University ofOtago in New Zealand. In 1951 temporary laboratories werebuilt in Canberra, and these were occupied between 1952and 1957, when the departments moved to the presentbuilding.The school stands in 6’ acres of ground within the

university site, looking towards the Brindabella range. Itis a brick building about 170,000 square feet in floor area. It isbuilt in an H-shape, with four wings for laboratories (whichare mainly on the upper two floors) and a central spine housinglecture theatre, seminar rooms, offices, tearooms, and library.The lower floors house many of the service departments:store, photography, media kitchens, mechanical plant, and soon. There are also two animal houses, each of some 7000square feet floor area, one for non-infected and the other forinfected animals; an animal breeding establishment some fourmiles away; and a large light-engineering workshop.The laboratory wings have on the south side laboratories

20 ft. deep and on the north side service rooms (hot rooms,cold rooms, &c.) and studies 14 ft. deep. The laboratory layouton each floor is adapted to the needs of the particulardepartment, but within the departments it follows a standard

plan.At present there are five departments. Prof. A. H. Ennor is

head of the department of biochemistry, and also dean of theschool. Dr. F. C. Courtice has just been appointed to the chairof experimental pathology. Prof. Adrien Albert is director ofthe department of medical chemistry, Prof. F. J. Fenner ofthe department of microbiology, and Sir John Eccles of thedepartment of physiology. At present the total research staffis about 40 and there are some 20 PH.D. students, but theschool is still growing. Several new departments will bestarted over the next few years to fill gaps in the presentstructure, and each department will be developed.