Raphael Cilento

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Sir Raphael Cilento 1941 IE175532 FL177183

Raphael Cilento

Sir Raphael West Cilento (2 December 1893 – 15 April 1985) was an Australian medical practitioner and public health administrator. He was a prominent figure in the field of public health and made significant contributions to tropical medicine and social medicine.

Early Life and Education

Raphael Cilento was born in Jamestown, South Australia, to parents of Italian descent. He attended Adelaide High School and later studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1918.

Career

After completing his medical degree, Cilento served in the Australian Army Medical Corps during World War I. Following the war, he specialized in tropical medicine and worked in various locations, including New Guinea, British Malaya, and Queensland.

Public Health Contributions

Cilento was appointed Director of the Division of Tropical Hygiene in the Queensland Department of Health in 1922. He played a crucial role in combating tropical diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. His work in public health extended to the development of health policies and the establishment of health services in remote areas.

Academic and Administrative Roles

In 1934, Cilento became the Director-General of Health and Medical Services in Queensland. He was also a professor of social and tropical medicine at the University of Queensland. His academic work included research on the social determinants of health and the impact of environment on health outcomes.

Honors and Recognition

Cilento was knighted in 1935 for his services to medicine and public health. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including honorary degrees and fellowships from prestigious institutions.

Personal Life

Raphael Cilento married Phyllis Dorothy McGlew in 1920, and they had six children. One of their children, Diane Cilento, became a well-known actress.

Legacy

Cilento's contributions to public health and tropical medicine have had a lasting impact on the field. His work in developing health services and policies in Queensland and other regions has been recognized as pioneering and influential.

See Also

• Public health
• Tropical medicine
• Social medicine
• University of Queensland
• Queensland Department of Health