Patrick Eisdell Moore

Sir Patrick William Eisdell Moore (17 March 1918 – 18 June 2015) was a New Zealand surgeon and medical researcher. He was a pioneer in cochlear implants, and was the first person in the world to perform an eardrum transplant.

Early life and education Moore was born in Bristol, England on 17 March 1918, the son of Alice Moore (née Lofthouse) and her husband, New Zealand surgeon Arthur Eisdell Moore who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was named William Ernest Moore but nicknamed 'Pat', having been born on St Patrick's Day; as an adult he changed his name by deed poll to Patrick William Eisdell Moore.

Career Moore worked as a house surgeon at Auckland Hospital before enlisting and serving as a medical officer in World War II with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. A number of sources record that he was the only Pākehā in the 28th Māori Battalion, It was during his time with the battalion that he became versed in biculturalism and learnt te reo Māori. There he developed surgery and research in all aspects of the specialty and pioneered homografts.

In 1962 Moore founded the Deafness Research Foundation (now the Hearing Research Foundation) to promote research into hearing conditions. His autobiography So Old So Quick was published in 2004.

Honours and awards In the 1982 New Year Honours, Moore was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to otolaryngology and the community, and he was made a Knight Bachelor, for services to otolaryngology, in the 1992 New Year Honours.

Personal life Moore met his wife Beth Beedie at university where she was studying physiotherapy; they married on 21 December 1942 in Dannevirke. The couple had four sons, two of whom became doctors and two lawyers.

Legacy The Eisdell Moore Centre at the University of Auckland was established in 2017 to research, prevent and treat ear disorders.