Professor Bruce Neil Proctor Benjamin delivered his Semon Lecture on the 1st of October 1985 at the Royal Society of Medicine. He explores the changing role of the paediatric endoscopist, pointing out several advances in the field, including use of imaging techniques, anaesthetic use, flexible fibre optic illumination, CO2 laser, more sophisticated ventilating bronchoscopes, and dependable techniques in photography and documentation. Benjamin concludes that in collaboration with the paediatrician, neonatologist, and paediatric surgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon, the role of the paediatric endoscopist has expanded.
Journal article version of the lecture
Bruce Benjamin was born in Sydney. Although he was advised against it, he became the first ENT registrar at Sydney Hospital in a move that heralded the start of his very successful career. Benjamin was the first in Australia to use a CO2 laser jet in ENT surgery and also invented the Benjamin jet tube, which is an anaesthetic tube for adult microlaryngoscopy. In light of his efforts, he became the Founder President of the Australasian Society of Paediatric Otolaryngology.