Leonard Bell Cox (29 August 1894 – 24 July 1976) was an Australian neurologist as well as an art collector and administrator. Born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

to English parents, he was a school friend of

Robert Menzies The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

. He earned his medical degree 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 ...

before serving in the

Royal Australian Army Medical Corps The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colon ...

at the Western Front. Returning to Australia, he became a founding member of the Australian Association of Neurologists and a distinguished collector of Chinese art, succeeding H. W. Kent as the honorary curator of the

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...

's Oriental art collection. Besides his medical publications, he also penned ''The National Gallery of Victoria 1861 to 1968'' and was active in the gallery's administration. Upon his death bequeathed books and art to the gallery. His gardens at

Olinda Olinda () is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Recife metropolitan area, Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state ca ...

provided numerous specimens for the National Rhododendron Gardens (now the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden).

References

1894 births 1976 deaths Australian neurologists Medical doctors from Melbourne Australian people of English descent University of Melbourne alumni Australian Army officers Australian military doctors 20th-century Australian medical doctors {{neuroscientist-stub