Bruce Maitland Carruthers

Bruce Maitland Carruthers (23 April 1892 – 29 November 1951) was an Australian physician and surgeon who became Director-General of Health in Tasmania. He served with distinction in two World Wars and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Birth and education Carruthers was born at Maitland, New South Wales, the son of Rev James Edward Carruthers and nephew of Sir Joseph Carruthers, 16th Premier of New South Wales. He attended his father's alma mater, Newington College (1906–1908) and went up to the University of Sydney in 1909 and graduated MB in 1915.

War service

World War I Carruthers served with the Royal Army Medical Corps in England, France, Salonika and India from 1914 until 1919 and held the rank of major. After active service he undertook a post-graduate course in medicine in London, becoming a Member and later a Fellow of the Royal Sanitary Institute.

Medical career

New South Wales Following World War I, Carruthers became a resident medical officer at the Coast Hospital. Until 1927 he worked mainly in mental diseases and undertook post-graduate studies in psychiatry at the University of Sydney. He worked at Callan Park and was in charge of five Red Cross nerve hospitals in Sydney tending ex-servicemen. He was also associated with Randwick Repatriation Hospital and worked in private practice.