Dr. D. C. M. Macpherson

Untimely Death of Brilliant Young Official In Fiji

WITH extreme regret, residents of Fiji and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony learned of the death of Dr.

Duncan Campbell Mac Ewan Macpherson, at the early age of 42, in the Colonial Memorial Hospital, Suva, on July 10.

Dr. Macpherson entered the Colonial Service in 1929, on appointment to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony as a medical officer, and his skill and devotion to duty won the trust'and affection of the Islanders. In 1935, because of this work, the International Health Division of the Rockefeller Foundation offered him a Foundation Fellowship to study public health in the United States. This course he completed with great distinction, winning the Foundation’s gold medal and obtaining the Diploma of MPH.

It happened that at the time that he finished this course, the Government of Fiji, with the assistance of the Rocke feller Foundation, had decided to estab lish a modern medical laboratory in Suva, the services of which were available to Fiji and all neighbouring Pacific Terri tories. It was considered that Dr.

Macpherson was the man to inaugurate thig important step in the development of preventive medicine in the Pacific, and in 1936 he was appointed Government Pathologist. While holding this post he was able to render valuable service in the training of medical and nursing students in preventive medicine.

In 1938 he was a member of the dele gation representing Great Britain and the Colonies at the 7th International Con gress of Entomology in Berlin, and later was a delegate for Fiji at the Inter national Congress of Tropical Medicine and Malaria at Amsterdam.

From 1939 to May, 1940, he was seconded for duty to the G. & E. Colony; and, on his return to Fiji, became Assistant Director of Medical Services, and also acted as Director. In January, 1941, he was commissioned as a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander in the Fiji Naval Volunteer Force.

Dr. Macpherson’s illness lasted some months. He is survived by his wife, and young son, both overseas. He was buried with full naval honours, in the presence of a large gathering of Service and Government Departmental chiefs, mem bers of the medical and nursing pro fession, and the general public.