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The Sir Hugh Cairns Memorial Scholarship was established in 1953 by a donation of $2,100 to the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ by the Committee of the Sir Hugh Cairns Memorial Association for the purpose of founding a prize to perpetuate the memory of Sir Hugh Cairns, a former student of the Adelaide High School.Ìý The Endowment now supports a scholarship of $3,000 for a student of the Adelaide High School who is commencing a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery Degree at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide.

Hugh William Bell Cairns (1896-1952) was born in Port Pirie, South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥.Ìý He was the only child of William Cairns a timber contractor from Scotland and ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n-born Amy Florence (nee Bell).Ìý He attended Riverton High School and Adelaide High School and then commenced his medical degree at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide in 1912.

While at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, Cairns won the Davies-Thomas Scholarship and the Everard Scholarship (both Scholarships which are still awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ today).Ìý He graduated MBBS in 1917 and the same year was awarded the South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Rhodes Scholarship.Ìý

Cairns went on to become a leading figure in neurosurgery.Ìý The establishment of neurosurgery as a specialist discipline in England was his major contribution to surgery.Ìý He was the first at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Oxford.

Cairns always took great interest in the medical graduates of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide who were studying in England.Ìý His interest in medical education was always keen.Ìý It can truly be said that his wise counsel helped many of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s graduates in their post-graduate work abroad.

A plaque was erected as a visible memorial to Sir Hugh in the main foyer of the Medical School in 1954 which read:

This tablet commemorates Sir Hugh William Bell Cairns, KBE, MA, DM, FRCS a graduate in medicine of this ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, first Nuffield Professor of Surgery in the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Oxford and eminent neurosurgeon. His work reflected great credit to this School, in whose graduates he maintained a life-long interest.Plaque erected 1954 Adelaide Medical School (c/- ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide Archives)

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For a confidential discussion about how you can support the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ with a gift in your will, please contact the Development team on +61 8 8313 5800 or development@adelaide.edu.au.