Dr. James Bateman received his medical training in both Canada and the United States. During his distinguished military career with both the American Hospital in Britain and The Canadian Army Medical Corps, he had the opportunity to develop and perfect various peripheral nerve surgical techniques. Upon returning to Canada, Dr. Bateman made the decision to dedicate his career to the specialty of orthopaedics. He then went on to practice at a number of leading medical institutions in Toronto. It was not very long before Dr. Bateman realized that there was a definite need for a specialized orthopaedic hospital that provided focused treatment and care to patients suffering from bone and joint diseases and injuries. It was at that point that Dr. Bateman joined forces with Dr. C. Stewart Wright and later with Dr. Wright’s son, Dr. Charles Wright, to turn the dream of a Toronto Orthopaedic Hospital into a reality.
In 1955, Dr. Bateman and Dr. Charles Wright opened the Orthopaedic Hospital. At that time, it was a fourteen bed, private facility. Within a decade, the hospital became The Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital and by 1972, the O&A was a 200-bed facility with a growing international reputation. Dr. Bateman served as the O&A’s Chief of Surgery for 27 years.
Throughout his time at the O&A, Dr. Bateman made many important contributions to the field of orthopaedics. He performed several “surgical firsts” including the devel-opment and utilization of an artificial hip which to this day is still known as the “Bateman Hip” and is still extensively used. Dr. Bateman was also highly respected both nationally and internationally for his academic achievements which included: sole authorship of six authoritative textbooks, 44 published articles in scientific literature, over 200 papers presented at meetings, 11 visiting professorships to other universities and his presidency of the American Orthopaedic Foot Society.
Dr. Bateman’s numerous contributions to the field of orthopaedics have also been recognized at both the Municipal and Provincial levels through the awarding of the City of Toronto medal in 1981 and a citation presented in 1980 by the Province of Ontario in appreciation of his role in the founding of the Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital. In 1981, Dr. Bateman also received the prestigious Glen Sawyer Service Award from the Ontario Medical Association in recognition of his service to the citizens of Ontario.
Throughout the 43-year history of the Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital, Dr. James Bateman represented a cornerstone in its successful development and, as such, he was a major contributor to the field of orthopaedic medicine.
