Jack Dinharn Cottrell he inaugural Cottrell Conference was held at Wesley College, University of Sydney from 22 to 24 November 1991. This conference, and those to follow, was made possible by the RACP Council allocating monies from a generous bequest left to the College in 1989 by the late Dr Jack Dinham Cottrell. Dr Cottrell expressed the wish that $30,000 would be used to promote the study of epidemiology and the social and community aspects of medicine. The remainder of the bequest was to be used for such purposes as the College Council may determine and will be used for a wide variety of research and training activities. Thus it seemed appropriate that this first conference - ‘Medicine and the Addictions’ - fitted well this wish of the bequeather and was suitably held in the grounds of his a h a mater. Dr Cottrell was born in England in 1903 and came to Australia at the age of eight. His family settled in Wentworth Falls, west of Sydney, where he first went to a local school and later to the Woodford Academy. He studied medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1928. While an undergraduate he belonged to the Sydney University Regiment and played hockey. His residency was performed at Lewisham Hospital and at Wilcannia. In 1929 he went to England and worked in a variety of places including the Royal Victorian Infirmary, Newcastle on Tyne. In 1934 he moved to New Zealand where he was on the visiting staff of Dunedin Hospital and worked in private practice in Dunedin. In 1940 he joined the New Zealand expeditionary services and volunteered for overseas service. He served in Egypt, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe and rose to the rank of Colonel. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 1944 for distinguished services in these theatres. From 1945 to 1947 he joined the United Nations as a chief medical officer in Vienna at the central headquarters of the Austrian mission. From 1947 to 1964 he worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and for periods of time he worked in Beirut, Bangkok, Alexandria, Geneva and finally in Copenhagen where he spent a large amount of his time. During this time he travelled extensively, particularly in Europe, North Africa and the United States of America. From 1964 to 1971 he continued to work for the WHO in a part-time capacity. He returned to Australia in 1971 and settled again in Wentworth

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Falls, west of Sydney where he died in January 1989. Dr Cottrell was known as an individual who read widely. Every room in his house in Wentworth Falls had a rather full bookcase. He had a particular interest in history and philosophy. He obtained his MRCP in London in 1932, his MRACP in 1939, his DPH in London in 1951, his FRCP in London in 1969 and his FRACP in 1973. He was an excellent cook and loved gardening. Although a modest and retiring person of strong Christian faith, he acquired a large number of friends throughout the world. He loved music and was a member of the Blue Mountains Musical Society. He has been described as an idealist, believing in the profession of medicine and what it could do for individuals and for mankind in general. The decision of the College Council to hold regular Cottrell Conferences will ensure that Dr Cottrell’s work, wishes and generosity will be remembered in perpetuity. Greg WheZan Aust NZ J Med 1992; 22

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