Morals, medicine and Mussolini: Dr. Herbert Moran’s public narratives in inter-war Australia

This thesis explores the narrative influence of Herbert Michael Moran, also known as ‘Paddy’ Moran, on Australian history and shows how he responded to the inter-war events of his time in Australia. Moran captained the first Wallabies football team to tour overseas in 1908 and as a cancer surgeon, pioneered the introduction of radium needles as a cancer therapy treatment. He was of Irish Catholic background and three areas dominated his life in Australia - the Catholic Church, his medical career, and his passion for Italy. He published numerous medical articles, commentary pieces and three memoir-inspired books in which he represents and justifies his life experiences and actions. Narrative identity is the theoretical approach used to investigate and illustrate how Moran presented himself biographically, and how he represented his experiences and his actions in his publications. His values and beliefs, as well as his thoughts about himself, and other aspects of his life are examined in a way that enhances our knowledge of inter-war history. Moran’s works shine a light on Australia’s past in a time of flux and the social change resulting from World War 1. They show the impact of these social changes on the life of Moran, and the people around him.