Obituary: Dr Jack Matthews

By Professors ROSS HOWIE and RON JONES

Neonatal paediatrician. Died aged 86.

Many thousands of sick and premature babies born here during the past half-century owe their lives and wellbeing to the pioneering foundations established by Dr Jack Dilworth Matthews. He introduced the specialist care of newborn babies (neonatal paediatrics) in New Zealand and was one of the founding staff of the National Women's Hospital.

Dr Matthews, who died in Auckland on June 22 at 86, graduated from the Otago Medical School in 1940. He gained early experience at Auckland Hospital before three years' service in the Medical Corps in the Middle East and the Mediterranean during World War II.

After postgraduate training in London, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians before returning to New Zealand in 1950 to be appointed a paediatrician at Cornwall (later National Women's) Hospital. For some years, he was the only neonatal paediatrician, which meant being on call constantly except for two weeks' annual holiday.

But Dr Matthews still found the time for hospitality. One memorable party was cut short by a telephone call requiring his immediate attendance at National Women's. New Zealand's first quintuplets, the Lawsons, were born a few hours later.

A team man, Dr Matthews fostered the education and development of nurses and young doctors, including those interested in the science of perinatal (newborn) medicine. It was an exciting time in neonatal paediatrics and his unit was involved in the development and evolution of significant advances.

These included the world's first successful interuterine blood transfusion for rhesus disease by Dr (later Professor Sir) William Liley in 1963 and, later, with Doctor (later Professor Sir) Mont Liggins and Dr Ross Howie, the prevention of the lung disease of premature babies with corticosteroid drugs given before birth.

Dr Matthews encouraged and witnessed radical changes in society's attitudes to the relationship between children and their parents. Parenting became less rigid with a more human approach. He championed the change from separating mothers and newborns and encouraging rooming-in and breast-feeding.

He was also a fervent supporter of the New Zealand Plunket Society and its Karitane hospitals because they provided essential ongoing support of mothers and their children. There was also increasing emphasis on the prevention, early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of disabled children and their families.

Dr Matthews is survived by wife Jo, daughter Jill Crockett, son John Matthews and four grandchildren.