Dr Michael Kelly (1905-1967)

Dr Micheal Kelly was a South Australian born doctor who began his medical career in Bunbury, where he practised for a decade from 1931 to 1941. He became an internationally recognised rheumatologist who, in the mid-1940s, introduced the revolutionary concept that rheumatic disease is caused by underlying neurological malfunction rather than by poison from a concealed infection (reference; reference). 

Michael first took over the practice of Dr Marshall at Wandarrah in Stirling Street Bunbury in 1931 (reference). In 1932 he moved to his own home and built a new surgery in Parkfield Street in 1934 (reference; reference).

Dr Kelly graduated from Adelaide University when he moved to Bunbury after spending two years of his residency at the Perth Children's Hospital (reference; reference). He continued his post-graduate studies while in Bunbury (reference). In 1937 Michael spent several months completing post-graduate studies at Melbourne University, where he sat and passed his Fellowship Exams (reference).

In 1932 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Michael married Marjorie (formerly Miss Woolcock from Adelaide), who joined him in Bunbury (reference). Three of their six children Ambrose, Terrance and Maureen, were born during their time in Bunbury (reference).

Micheal became very involved with the Bunbury community. Along with other doctors in the town, he taught and examined First Aid courses for the St John Ambulance Association (reference). The doctors were also the judges for the 1933 baby competition (reference). Michael often testified in court cases (reference; reference; reference).

Michael was also an avid sportsperson who regularly played tennis, golf and bowls (reference; reference; reference). He also donated sporting trophies to the Bunbury Rifle Shooting club and golf (reference; reference). Michael was involved in other community efforts including vice-president of the Boy Scouts Association in 1933, Chairman of the Catholic Taxpayers Association and a liaison for the Adelaide Zoo to procure Western Australian Parrots for its collection (reference; reference; reference).

In May 1935, the South West Times noted that Michael had been ill and travelled to Adelaide for five weeks to see his parents (reference). In June of the same year, Micheal was hospitalised for several weeks in St John of God Hospital in Perth (reference). This was the beginning of his ongoing battle with rheumatic disease, which led him to specialise in Rheumatology (reference).

Michael joined the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1940 and participated in training (reference). The following year he left Bunbury and moved to Peppermint Grove with his family to work full time for the army (reference; reference). In 1945, Michael was transferred to the Heidelberg Military Hospital in Melbourne, where he worked on pain management with wounded returned soldiers. As a result, he was given a grant by the National Health and Medical Council to research this area at the Department of Anatomy at the University of Melbourne (reference; reference). The grant ended in 1947 and by this time, Michael had become well known in international medical circles. The decision to cease the grant was severely criticised by London practitioner Dr Heald, the world's leading authority on rheumatic diseases (reference). However, in the same year, Michael was the first person outside Britain to be awarded the Harveian Society's Buckston Browne Prize for innovative medical research (reference).

Michael went into private practice and became well known for his patient's medical and pastoral care when it was thought little could be done for those who have rheumatoid arthritis (reference).

Throughout the 1950s, Michael continued to be recognised at a global level. He spoke at several international conferences, was awarded the Geigy Prize in 1958 and was accepted as a New York Academy of Science member in 1965 (reference).

However, Michael was often bypassed in Australia. According to his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, he 'offended' people with his outspokenness. Predominantly, this was manifested in his vigorous opposition to the then-popular cortisone treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and instead advocated for using the currently prominent NSAID, phenylbutazone. Although phenylbutazone was later banned, he was later proved mostly correct (reference).

The other area of outspokenness that was troubling to many was in the area of religion. Deeply religious, Michael was no shrinking violet when it came to making his opinion known. Several examples exist during his time in Bunbury, such as a lengthy letter to the Sunday Times in 1932 speaking against sterilisation of "Human Degenerates" stating that: 

"The whole sterilisation movement is nothing more than defiance of Christian ideals. It is proposed as an improvement of a human race, with no destiny beyond the grave, and the large proportion of the leaders of the movement are avowed enemies of Christianity. Christianity will never tolerate such a movement, cruelly aimed at the mutilation of the weak ones so cherished by its divine founder" (reference).

In another speech given to the Bunbury Hibernian Society in 1935, he was decrying the godlessness of society and declared:

"The only hope of the world was the Catholic Church. Without a return to the teachings of Christ, civilisation is bound to degenerate to paganism. Cities and countryside will be laid waste with poverty and unemployment, riots and wars. The civilised world must be converted to Christianity once more." (reference)

Michael died in 1967 at his home in Kew. His biography claims that in his last days, "his manner formed a sad contrast to the heady days at Bunbury when he had also played tennis, golf and bowls, and was an important and admired member of society" (reference).

Researched by Gaye Englund for the Museum of Perth