William John Virgin
William John Virgin (b. 16 December 1905; d. 18 October 1997)[1] was a serving Major in the former Indian Medical Service in British India. He was the first Principal of Dhaka Medical College.[2] Virgin was born in Toronto, Canada on 16 December 1905. He served primarily in India and, after its formation, Bangladesh.
William John Virgin | |
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1st Principal Dhaka Medical College | |
In office 01.07.1946–14.08.1947 | |
Succeeded by | Colonel E. G. Montgomery |
Personal details | |
Born | 16 December 1905 |
Died | 18 October 1997 |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Indian Medical Service |
Rank | Major |
Career
Virgin was an orthopedic surgeon by profession. He joined the Indian Medical Service, where he was promoted to Lieutenant 1 August 1933 [on prob], and Captain on 1 August 1934 [on prob] (17/2/36).[1][3] He received a promotion to the post of Major on 1 August 1943.[4] He was posted in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1943 to 1947,[5] where he was appointed as the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka.[6]
Virgin was made the head of the committee to establish a medical college in Dhaka. Dhaka Medical College was started on 10 July 1946, and Virgin was made its founding principal,[7][8][9] as well as the first superintendent of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.[9][10] He also served as the first ever Dean of Faculty of Medicine at the University of Dhaka.[11] On 21 December 1946, Virgin succeeded Major F. H. A. L. Davidson, IMS, as the medical officer of Dhaka Central Jail.[12]
Virgin served as the principal of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital until 14 August 1947. Later, he joined the department of orthopedic surgery of the University of Liverpool as a senior research fellow.[13]
Later in life, he wrote a book on his experience in India titled The India I Knew: Experiences of a Canadian Orthopaedic Surgeon over 50 Years, which was published in 1988.[5]
Personal life
In 1934, Virgin married Zelma Crone, with whom he had two children. He died in Toronto on 18 October 1997 at the age of 91.
References
- "(456) - Army lists > Half-yearly Army lists 1923 - Feb 1950 (From 1947, annual, despite the name) > 1939 > Second half - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland". digital.nls.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- History, About us. "Dhaka Medical College". http. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- The Monthly Army List. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. July 1935. pp. 895–9.
- "(1021) - Army lists > Quarterly Army Lists (Second Series), July 1940-December 1950 > 1946 > Second quarter > Part 2 > Volume 1 - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland". digital.nls.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- Virgin, W. J. (1988). The India I Knew: Experiences of a Canadian Orthopaedic Surgeon over 50 Years. Toronto, ON, Canada: W. J. Virgin.
- Zaman, Habibuz. (1999). "Dhaka Medical College: The early years". Seventy years in a shaky subcontinent. London, England: Janus. p. 135. ISBN 1-85756-405-7. OCLC 43210443.
- "DMC envisions to be one of the best medical institutions in South Asia by 2021 -Prof. Khan Abul Kalam Azad". The Guardian. Dhaka. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- "Sixty Three years of Dhaka Medical College". Star Campus. 19 July 2009. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- "History". Bangladsh Society of Anasthesiologists. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- "Local Health Bulletin- 2020". app.dghs.gov.bd. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- "University of Dhaka - Banglapedia". en.banglapedia.org. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- Service Notes.The Indian Medical Gazette. Feb, 1947. p112.(PDF)
- Virgin, W. J. (1951-11-01). "Experimental investigations into the physical properties of the intervertebral disc". The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British Volume. 33-B (4): 607–611. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.33B4.607. ISSN 0301-620X. PMID 14880588.