Jean Littlejohn (3 April 1899 – 27 November 1990) was an Australian surgeon, early practitioner of the developing field of

otorhinolaryngology Otorhinolaryngology ( , abbreviated ORL and also known as otolaryngology, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL–H&N or OHNS), or ear, nose, and throat (ENT)) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the surgical an ...

, and pioneer of deafness research. She joined the

Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (the Eye and Ear) is a specialist public teaching hospital in East Melbourne, Australia. It is the only hospital in Australia which specialises in both ophthalmology and otolaryngology. History The hosp ...

Melbourne, Australia Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung/ or ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia, after Sydney. The city's name generally refers to a metropolitan area also known ...

and maintained a long association with the hospital until her retirement in 1974.

Early life

Jean Littlejohn was born on 3 April 1899 in

Nelson, New Zealand Nelson () is a List of cities in New Zealand, city and Districts of New Zealand, unitary authority on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-old ...

, the youngest of the five children of Scottish-born

William Still Littlejohn William Still Littlejohn (19 September 1859 – 7 October 1933) was a Scottish-born schoolteacher who spent most of his working life in New Zealand and Australia. He was headmaster of Nelson College from 1899 to 1903, and of Scotch College, Melbo ...

and Jean (née Berry). The family moved to Melbourne in 1904 when William Littlejohn was appointed headmaster of Scotch College. Jean was educated at Scotch College's sister school, Presbyterian Ladies' College, where she found both academic and sporting success.

Career

Littlejohn studied medicine at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, graduating in 1922; her graduating class also included Dame Kate Isabel Campbell,

Lucy Meredith Bryce Lucy Meredith Bryce (12 June 1897 – 30 July 1968) was an Australian haematologist and medical researcher, who worked with the Australian Red Cross Society to establish the first blood transfusion service in Australia. Early life and education ...

and

Jean Macnamara Dame Annie Jean Connor Macnamara (1 April 1899 – 13 October 1968), known as Jean Macnamara, was an Australian medical doctor and scientist, best known for her contributions to children's health and welfare. She was honoured as Dame Comm ...

. Australian Dictionary of Biography website, ''Dame Annie Jean Macnamara (1899-1968)'', article by Ann G. Smith
/ref> She then and joined the

as a medical resident. She began private practice in 1924 while continuing to work at the Eye and Ear Hospital, where she was promoted successively to the positions of assistant surgeon in 1929, honorary aural surgeon (the first woman to hold this position) in the same year, and senior surgeon in 1933. Littlejohn was drawn to the new field of ear, nose, and throat surgery (

), which was developing rapidly at this time along with technological advances that enabled more precise surgical investigation and treatment of these areas. The University of Melbourne began offering qualifications in otolaryngology in 1930, and Littlejohn was the first recipient of the university's Diploma of Otolaryngology, in 1933. She was admitted as a Fellow of the

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and New Zealand. Known by its common acronym RACS, it is a not-for-profit organisation, supp ...

in 1935. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Littlejohn served as an ENT surgeon to the armed forces. In 1947 she was appointed clinical dean of the Eye and Ear Hospital and became the first woman elected to the University of Melbourne faculty of medicine. In 1948 Littlejohn established the Eye and Ear Hospital's Infant Deafness Investigation Clinic, and in the 1970s she advised the State of Victoria on establishing postgraduate

audiology Audiology (from Latin 'to hear'; and from Ancient Greek, Greek branch of learning , ''wikt:-logia, -logia'') is a branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Audiologists treat those with hearing loss and proactivel ...

training in Australia.

Recognition

Littlejohn was made an Officer of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1962 for services to the Deaf in Victoria, and a Commander of the Order in 1975 for services to medicine. In 1957 the Eye and Ear Hospital consolidated its deafness research under the umbrella of the Jean Littlejohn Deafness Investigation and Research Unit. In 1978 the University of Melbourne's Department of Otolaryngology awarded the first biennial Jean Littlejohn Otorhinolaryngology research prize. On

International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...

2025, the University of Melbourne launched the Littlejohn medal to honour "outstanding contributions to knowledge and research across health and medical disciplines".

Personal life and death

Littlejohn lived with her companion, the bookseller

Margareta Webber Margareta Louise Pitcairn Webber (17 September 1891 - 6 May 1983) was a book seller from Melbourne Australia who ran a bookstore in McEwan house for nearly 40 years, called The Bookshop of Margareta Webber. She was a respected business person, an ...

, for over fifty years. They met in 1928 when Webber was referred to Littlejohn as an ENT patient. In collaboration with Webber, Littlejohn founded the

Soroptimist Soroptimist International (SI) , founded in 1921, is a global volunteer service for women with almost 66,000 members in 118 countries worldwide. Soroptimist International also offers Associate Membership and E-Clubs. Soroptimist International h ...

Club of Melbourne in 1948. Littlejohn died on 27 November 1990 in East Melbourne.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Littlejohn, Jean 1899 births 1990 deaths Australian surgeons Medical doctors from Melbourne Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire People from Nelson, New Zealand Australian people of Scottish descent Australian women surgeons 20th-century Australian women medical doctors 20th-century Australian medical doctors