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Martin Spirit, The
The field of science in Australia would be poorer if not for Charles Martin. The indefatigable Englishman served the physiology departments of burgeoning universities in Sydney and Melbourne at the end of the 19th century, before returning home to run the Lister Institute, foremost medical research institute of the English speaking world. He set in motion Australia's 20th century advances in medical sciences, inspiring graduates who caught "the Martin Spirit". The illustrated account of his life explores Martin's inherent enthusiasm for experimentation, the fascinating discoveries, the quirks of his personal life, and his revolutionary role in biomedical advances.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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January 9, 2021
Yes, this is a meticulously researched, instructive and entertaining biography of Charles James Martin (1866-1955), a towering figure in research in Australia, but what makes it stand out from “run of the mill” biographies is its vivid evocation of the rapid scientific developments and tumultuous political context of the late 19th and first half of the 20th century. This is achieved through richness of detail and an abundance of scientific and personal anecdotes. The unpretentious, forthright personality of Martin emerges from this masterful exposition.
The narrative is enriched by biographical vignettes of contemporary scientists, including Ernest Starling, MacFarlane Burnet and Waldemar Haffkine. Typical of its attention to detail, the book also brings to light less well known scientists, for example, Arthur Bacot, Frank Tidswell, Harriette Chick, Muriel Robertson, Ted Lines (CSIRO) and Richard Thomas (CSIRO).
Educated in London, Martin began his Australian career at Sydney University. As Head of the Department of Physiology at the fledgling Melbourne University, he reformed the Medical curriculum, building links between hospital based clinical training and University departments and established efficient research laboratories because, in his view, the first step in learning science was “to experience the phenomenon of the experiment.”
As Director of the newly established Lister Institute (London), he took both strategic and hands-on roles in advancing medical care for Australian troops at Gallipoli, the middle east and on the western front, all the while carrying out field research into serology and vaccinology of dysentery bacilli, typhoid and paratyphoid.
Under Martin’s direction, the Lister became a training ground for young Australian Scientists who went on to build medical research in Australia.
In his later years Martin had significant influence in the establishment and organisation of the CSIR (later CSIRO), strengthening its research focus, through advocacy of interdisciplinary collaboration. While based in Cambridge, he worked in collaboration with CSIR on the use of myxoma virus to control the rabbit plague in Australia.
Martin received plenty of accolades, but, as recorded by Morison, the one he most cherished was the establishment by the NHMRC, in 1952, of two Sir Charles James Martin Fellowships in medical science ‘to be awarded periodically to young Australians to give them overseas experience’.
The footnotes and bibliography are extensive and well organised with provision of references to primary scientific publications. It is fortunate that there is a reasonably comprehensive list of abbreviations, because there is a plethora of acronyms, especially in the chapters about WWI. Thanks to the Australian Society for Microbiology for providing a copy of this book for review.
The narrative is enriched by biographical vignettes of contemporary scientists, including Ernest Starling, MacFarlane Burnet and Waldemar Haffkine. Typical of its attention to detail, the book also brings to light less well known scientists, for example, Arthur Bacot, Frank Tidswell, Harriette Chick, Muriel Robertson, Ted Lines (CSIRO) and Richard Thomas (CSIRO).
Educated in London, Martin began his Australian career at Sydney University. As Head of the Department of Physiology at the fledgling Melbourne University, he reformed the Medical curriculum, building links between hospital based clinical training and University departments and established efficient research laboratories because, in his view, the first step in learning science was “to experience the phenomenon of the experiment.”
As Director of the newly established Lister Institute (London), he took both strategic and hands-on roles in advancing medical care for Australian troops at Gallipoli, the middle east and on the western front, all the while carrying out field research into serology and vaccinology of dysentery bacilli, typhoid and paratyphoid.
Under Martin’s direction, the Lister became a training ground for young Australian Scientists who went on to build medical research in Australia.
In his later years Martin had significant influence in the establishment and organisation of the CSIR (later CSIRO), strengthening its research focus, through advocacy of interdisciplinary collaboration. While based in Cambridge, he worked in collaboration with CSIR on the use of myxoma virus to control the rabbit plague in Australia.
Martin received plenty of accolades, but, as recorded by Morison, the one he most cherished was the establishment by the NHMRC, in 1952, of two Sir Charles James Martin Fellowships in medical science ‘to be awarded periodically to young Australians to give them overseas experience’.
The footnotes and bibliography are extensive and well organised with provision of references to primary scientific publications. It is fortunate that there is a reasonably comprehensive list of abbreviations, because there is a plethora of acronyms, especially in the chapters about WWI. Thanks to the Australian Society for Microbiology for providing a copy of this book for review.
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