Sir Thomas George Roddick (July 31, 1846 – February 20, 1923) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

surgeon, medical administrator, politician, and founder of the

Medical Council of Canada The Medical Council of Canada (MCC; french: Conseil médical du Canada, CMC) is an organization charged with the partial assessment and evaluation of medical graduates and physicians through standardized examination. It grants the qualification c ...

born in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland He is known for his work in helping pass the "Roddick Bill" or the "Canada Medical Act" which through the

created standard national medical licensing process for medical practice in every province in Canada.

Medical service

Thomas George Roddick attended the Model and Normal Schools in

Truro, Nova Scotia Truro (Mi'kmaq: ''Wagobagitik''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Truru'') is a town in central Nova Scotia, Canada. Truro is the shire town of Colchester County and is located on the south side of the Salmon River floodplain, close to the river's mouth at ...

and graduated from the Medical Faculty of

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous ...

in 1868 with the highest honours, winning the Holmes Gold Medal and Final Prize. From 1868 to 1874, he was Assistant House Surgeon at the

Montreal General Hospital The Montreal General Hospital (MGH) (french: Hôpital Général de Montréal) is a hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada established in the years 1818-1820. The hospital received its charter in 1823. It is currently part of the McGill University ...

. In 1872, he was appointed Lecturer on Hygiene at McGill University. He was appointed a Demonstrator of Anatomy in 1874 and in 1875 was named Professor of Clinical Surgery. Earlier in 1877, Roddick traveled to Edinburgh to witness

Joseph Lister Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, (5 April 182710 February 1912) was a British surgeon, medical scientist, experimental pathologist and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventative medicine. Joseph Lister revolutionised the craft of ...

's medical antiseptic system. Roddick returned to Montreal later that year and introduced

's antiseptic system, primarily his 'carbolic spray,' revolutionizing the way medicine was practiced in Montreal's Hospitals. In 1894 Roddick, with the aid of fellow specialist James Bell, created the Department of Surgery and became the first chief surgeon of the Royal Victoria Hospital. However, by 1901 Roddick found himself no longer able to practice surgery, having become allergic to the new antiseptic replacing the carbolic acid he had introduced to Montreal, iodoform. He was instead given the position of Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University from 1901 to 1908, where he could contribute to medicine without practicing surgery. In subsequent years Roddick would play an instrumental role in the creation of the

as well as establishing a common system of examinations for students graduating with medical degrees in Canada.

Military service

He has served on the Militia Force as Assistant Surgeon Grand Trunk Rifle Brigade, and Surgeon Major Prince of Wales Rifles. On the outbreak of the North-West Rebellion in 1885, he was selected to take charge of medical affairs in the field, with the rank of Deputy-Surgeon General of Militia. He organized the hospitals and medical service for the Expeditionary Force, and was recommended for C.M.G. by the General in command.

Political service

He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of St. Antoine in the 1896 federal election. A

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he was re-elected in

1900 As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15), 2 ...

. Roddick was instrumental, after an arduous 18-year campaign, in helping pass the "Roddick Bill" or ''Canada Medical Act'' which created a national medical licensing standard that allowed physicians to practice in every province in Canada. With the creation of the

in 1912 Roddick was named first on the Canadian Medical Register. He was President of the Canadian Medical Association and President of the British Medical Association. He was knighted in 1914.

Family

He was married to Urelia M McKinnon of

Pointe-Claire, Quebec Pointe-Claire (, ) is a Quebec local municipality within the Urban agglomeration of Montreal on the Island of Montreal in Canada. It is entirely developed, and land use includes residential, light manufacturing, and retail. As of the 2021 cen ...

in 1880, but she died in Montreal in 1890. Then Amy Redpath Roddick became the second wife of Thomas Roddick on September 3, 1906. Amy Redpath Roddick (May 16, 1868 - February 16, 1954) was the first-born child and only daughter of Ada Mills and John James Redpath.

Death and controversy

Sir Thomas Roddick died on February 20, 1923 and was buried at Mount Royal Cemetery on February 22. However upon reading his Will on February 26, six days after his death and four days after his burial, the executors of his Will realized his final wishes had been to be cremated and demanded Sir Thomas be exhumed and cremated according to his wishes. Lady Roddick staunchly opposed his exhumation, stating her husband's final wishes had changed shortly before his death. The case was brought before the Quebec Superior Court and was successfully contested by Lady Roddick. Roddick is buried at Mount Royal Cemetery in section L1 1, where Lady Roddick erected a family funerary monument for her husband which mirrored that which she had erected at McGill University in his honor, the

Roddick Gates The Roddick Gates, also known as the Roddick Memorial Gates, are monumental gates in Montreal that serve as the main entrance to the McGill University downtown campus. They are located on Sherbrooke Street West and are at the northern end of t ...

Honours

*Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital built in early 1950s by the American Government in Newfoundland is named in his honour. *McGill University's

were erected by Amy Redpath Roddick and named in his honour.Young, Brian J., Respectable burial Montreal's Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, QC: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2003, 137 *Roddick fountain, in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, is named in his honour. *He was knighted in 1914

References

*
Roddick Gates & Gatehouse (demolished)

*

External links

*
Thomas George Roddick
at

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available f ...

Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roddick, Thomas 1846 births 1923 deaths Canadian Knights Bachelor Canadian surgeons Canadian university and college faculty deans Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs Nova Scotia Teachers College alumni McGill University Faculty of Medicine alumni McGill University faculty Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec People from Harbour Grace Burials at Mount Royal Cemetery