125 Years of Preventive & Social Medicine

Otago Bulletin, issue 3, February 2011

The University’s largest Department – Preventive and Social Medicine – is holding its main 125th anniversary celebrations next month in a weekend of special events which includes two conferences, a book launch and a public film screening. The Bulletin takes a closer look at how the Department is celebrating this important milestone.

In 1886, the University appointed Dr Francis Ogston as its inaugural lecturer in medical jurisprudence and public health. In the intervening 125 years, the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine has grown into a large and influential centre for public health research and teaching with strong international links.

Dr Warwick Brunton, who is helping to organise the 2011 celebrations, says past and present staff and students and other interested members of the University and public are warmly invited to take part.

The weekend of celebrations runs from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 March.

“There will be a real medley of events. One that may be of particular interest to staff and members of the public is the Great Healthy Film Show where we will screen 12 short historic films about public health.”

These include a recently rediscovered silent film produced by the Medical School on preventing the parasitic disease hydatids which has probably not been shown in 70 years. Another highlight is a 1977 World Health Organisation film on the world’s last case of smallpox.

Dr Brunton is the author of a newly completed departmental history The Medicine of the Future that will be launched during the celebrations. The work, which will be available through the Department, traces its history over the past 125 years within the context of the shifting ideas and issues in public health as they have been understood, studied and taught here.

A special symposium to be held during the weekend will focus on epidemiology and sexual and reproductive health.

The focus of this gathering of national and international scholars is to honour Professor David Skegg’s major contributions as a researcher in these fields. Before being appointed Vice-Chancellor in 2004, Professor Skegg was Head of Preventive and Social Medicine for most of the preceding 25 years. During his leadership, the Department grew rapidly and staff numbers rose from around a dozen in 1980 to 130 by the time he left.

The Department Today conference on the Friday will feature presentations by some of these staff and will showcase Preventive and Social Medicine’s strengths and the breadth, depth and quality of its work across many areas of public health.

Other events in the main celebrations include a special dinner, tours of facilities and historical displays at the Hocken and Medical Libraries.

Full details and registration information for the weekend can be found at: www.otago.ac.nz/psm125yrs For registration and other information, contact Nicola Casey, Ph: 479 7201, Email: nicola.casey@otago.ac.nz Each month throughout 2011 the Department will continue to mark the milestone by holding monthly open seminars.