Page:Notable South Australians.djvu/215

 Dr. John F. Joyce, ORN near Victoria Park, London, August 6, 1840; arrived in the colony with his father in 1849, but on account of family differences he left home with a firm decision, though but young, to fight the battle of life in an independent manner. He entered into farming pursuits, and became so skilful a ploughman that at some of the up-country ploughing matches he succeeded in taking no less than three prizes. Being of a studious character, he devoted not only his leisure, but even his hours of labour to reading, and often turned a furrow with a book fastened between the handles of the plough. Resolved, however, to be a professional man, he directed his attention to matters of a higher order and more congenial to his tastes, and studied classics under the Rev. J. Hotham, of Port Elliot. In spite of difficulties and hardships he was at length successful, and to the astonishment of many who had tried to divert him from his purpose, reached a premier place in the ranks of the medical profession. After being for some time associated with Dr. Ferguson, of Glenelg, he went to Glasgow and commenced his medical studies, with the result that he obtained a diploma from the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and was complimented for obtaining a percentage seldom reached in that city. Although devoting much attention to general medical practice, Dr. Joyce made a special study of the eye, and many persons previously pronounced incurable have received their sight by his agency, in fact so remarkable appear some of his cures as to approach the miraculous. The Adelaide Eye Infirmary and Queen's Hospital, established under great opposition and founded by Dr. Joyce for treating eye diseases and other complaints, deserves support, and in a colony where ophthalmia is prevalent it should insure that extensive patronage to which such institutions are entitled. It may not