Maurice Brown was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1930. He was educated at the Wilderness School, Pulteney Grammar, St Peter's College and the University of Adelaide Medical School. He was a brilliant student, topping the state in honours mathematics and gaining high credits throughout his medical course. After qualifying he decided that his taste for neat and meticulous surgery would be best satisfied in the ear, nose and throat field. He therefore took posts in England, first in Portsmouth, then at the Royal Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, London. While in England he took his DLO and FRCS. On returning to Adelaide in 1960 he went into practice in partnership, but retained his university connections. In 1962 he became FRACS. During a distinguished career he was senior visiting otologist to the National Acoustic Laboratory, Adelaide. The last position involved trips to see patients in Darwin and in Alice Springs before there were any resident ENT surgeons there. During this time he made, in collaboration, detailed studies of the incidence of ear diseases in aborigines. He was treasurer of the Otolarlyngological Society of Australia in 1963 vice-president from 1977 to 1979 and President from 1979 to 1981. In 1980 he developed cancer, but this was not generally known for another two years, during which time he continued to be active in his profession. He was widely admired and loved by his patients, among whom were many of his medical colleagues and their families. He came of a healthy and long-lived family and his own pursuits included vigorous tennis, badminton, squash and latterly golf. His wife was Judith Brown, the writer. They had three talented daughters. He died on 26 November 1983, aged 53.