Hildred Mary Butler

Life

The daughter of Victorian-born parents, farmer Archie Butler and Rose Josephine Hancock, she was born in Elsternwick, Melbourne in 1906. Butler was educated at Lauriston Girls' School before going on to the University of Melbourne. In 1928 she attained her Bachelor of Science and later returned for a Doctor of Science (Microbiology) in 1946. From 1928 to 1938, she was Bacteriologist for the Baker Medical Research Institute at the Alfred Hospital. In this role Butler published eight papers and was the sole author of the 1937 book "Blood Cultures and Their Significance". Her work focused on the specific bacterial causes of 'childbed fever', now known as puerperal sepsis. Butler was able to show that four bacteria were largely responsible for serious 'childbed fever' and abortional infections: Group A steptococci (anaerobic and haemolytic streptococci), Staphylococcus pyogenes and Clostridium welchii.

From 1938 to 1971, Butler was employed as first Bacteriologist at the Royal Women's Hospital, working closely with clinician A. M. 'Bung' Hill. During that time, she helped establish a 24/7 bacteriological service at the hospital. In 1941 she had the Victorian midwives' regulations changed because of her findings showing that Group A haemolytic steptococci and Staphylococcus pyogenes were responsible for the highest risk of infection. At the time, patients infected with Group A streptococci and Clostridium welchii died before the bacteria could be cultured for identification but Butler was able to develop a method of diagnosis from stained slides which allowed for rapid commencement of treatment. Sources say she investigated some 236,000 postpartum infections in confined patients and 64,000 patients who had abortions. The 33 years of work was captured in 21 papers (8 were solely credited to her) and the book Blood Cultures and Their Significance.

Butler served as treasurer for the Victorian Society of Pathology from 1940 to 1956 and president of the Association of Hospital Scientists in Victoria in 1958 and again from 1964 to 1965. Additionally she lectured medical students for 25 years and her work is recognised as being first in the field as well as being statistically significant for the magnitude of data.

Despite retiring officially in 1971, Butler continued to contribute to the field despite her own health challenges. She died at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne at the age of 68.