Anaesthesia Home
NZSA Home












 

 


History

The New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists

The NZSA was founded in 1948 as a forum in which anaesthetists around New Zealand could share information and experiences, with the intention of improving the anaesthetic care provided to patients in a field of rapidly increasing technical complexity. Initial membership of the Society was 39, which grew to 64 by the end of the following year. Dr. Eric Anson of Wellington, the Society's first President, along with Drs. Alf Slater (Wellington), Tim Taylor (Christchurch) and John Ritchie (Dunedin) were key figures in establishing the new group. NZSA membership today is greater than 400.

The NZSA emblem (a pentagram dissecting the initials 'NZSA') and motto ('Salus per scientiam' or Safety through knowledge) were established in 1962. The pentagram was suggested as an ancient symbol believed to provide safety and protection against demons and an emblem of happy homecoming.

In subsequent decades NZSA initiatives have included establishing an anaesthetic technicians training program in 1978, supporting members who provided anaesthesia assistance during visits to Fiji, Tonga and other Pacific Islands, and establishing CECANZ in 1986 (a committee responsible for a comprehensive continuing education program for anaesthetists in New Zealand). CECANZ was initially based in Dunedin under the direction of Drs. Trevor Dobbinson, David Jones, Steuart Henderson, Mack Holmes, Malcolm Turner and John Mills and went on to gain international recognition as a continuing medical education program through the HELP (Home Evaluation Learning Program) program first introduced in 1987. Among it's other initiatives, the CECANZ Committee also introduced critical incident and morbidity/mortality reporting systems.

The NZSA has maintained close links with the WFSA (World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists) with NZSA members such as Cedric Hoskins and Peter Kempthorne holding Executive positions in this international federation through the years.

Annual education meetings run by the Society have been held in cities around New Zealand every year since the NZSA's formation. These meetings continue to be held but are now jointly co-ordinated with the New Zealand National Committee of the Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists under the direction of the New Zealand Anaesthesia Education Committee (NZAEC).

During the 1990s the NZSA adopted the additional symbol of the kotuku or white heron, also suggested to represent the safe homecoming.

This material is documented more comprehensively in "Safety Through Knowledge - A fifty year history of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists" written jointly by Drs. Basil Hutchinson, John Gibbs and Tony Newson. See Publications



A Chronology of Important Events in New Zealand Anaesthesia

1846    October 16    First public demonstration of general anaesthesia in modern times in Boston, USA, using ether

1847    September 27    First general anaesthesia administered in New Zealand in Wellington by Dr. J.P. Fitzgerald with the assistance of Mr. J. H. Marriott, using a device of Mr. Marriott’s construction

1892    Formal instruction in anaesthesia begins at Otago Medical School

1930    Section of Anaesthesia formed in the NZ branch of the British Medical Association

1937    Expatriate New Zealander Dr. Robert Macintosh (later Sir) appointed Nuffield Professor of Anaesthesia at University of Oxford (the first Professor of Anaesthesia in Europe). Professor Sir Macintosh remained widely regarded as one of the world's leading anaesthetists until his death in 1989

1948    New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists founded

1952    Faculty of Anaesthetists formed within the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

1971    Dr. John Ritchie appointed Associate Professor in Anaesthesia in Dunedin, thus establishing anaesthesia as an academic medical specialty in New Zealand

1975    Dr. A. Barry Baker appointed first full Professor in Anaesthesia in New Zealand in Christchurch

1992    Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists established



 

 
Home | History

 
 
Login Powered by SmartAlec