Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors

Darcy Rivers Warren Cowan was born on the 8th August 1885 at Norwood, Adelaide. He was one of eight children of James Cowan, a merchant from Ireland, and his wife Sarah Ann, nee Warren. His father was a prosperous flour miller and investor in Broken Hill; subsequently he was a Member of Parliament in South Australia. Cowan was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide where he won a triple Blue in lacrosse, football and tennis, and also played cricket. He married Effie Hewitt Cox on the 19th April 1910; they were to remain childless. Cowan was in England with his wife at the outbreak of WWI; on the 5th November 1914 he was appointed temporary lieutenant in the RAMC. Returning to South Australia, on the 22nd May 1916 he joined the AAMC Reserve as an honorary captain.

Cowan was an honorary physician to the Adelaide Hospital in 1924-35 where he furthered his interest in tuberculosis, and was especially concerned that the disease was infecting nurses and doctors occupationally exposed to it. He visited the United States of America to investigate methods of control of tuberculosis in 1937. As a result of his determination in the control and treatment of tuberculosis the Chest Clinic at the Adelaide Hospital was established.  This included a ward for tuberculosis patients, of which Cowan was physician-in-charge from 1938 to 1950. He founded the South Australian Tuberculosis Association in 1943. Then in 1948 he helped to form the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis in Australia and forged links with kindred societies in Britain and America. Cowan founded Northcote Home, which was a residence for children whose parents were in hospital with tuberculosis. He also founded Bedford Industries, which offered work opportunities for the rehabilitation of those afflicted with tuberculosis. This later became a factory at Panorama, SA, which provided those with different mental and physical disabilities with work opportunities. He was involved with the James Brown Memorial Trust which owned and managed Kalyra Sanatorium and Estcourt House, Grange from 1947 to 1957. Cowan was also President (1935-36) of the South Australian branch of the British Medical Association. He became a foundation fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1938. Cowan was knighted in 1955 for his work on tuberculosis. Despite a busy life he enjoyed gardening and was an office-holder in the South Australian Lawn Tennis Association; he had helped to organize the Davis Cup challenge rounds at Memorial Drive in 1952 and 1956. He belonged to the Adelaide Club from 1929 and was a life member of the BMA. Sir Darcy Rivers Warren Cowan died on 9 June 1958 at Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide, and was buried at Payneham cemetery. He was survived by his wife Effie. He was commemorated by the Australian Laennec Society with the establishment of the Sir Darcy Cowan prize for research into respiratory disease.