Colin Albert Murdoch

Category One: Persons of Prominent International Standing

Date of Birth

6 February 1929 at Christchurch

Parents

Mary Kathleen and Frank William James Murdoch

Married

Marilyn Thelma Tregenza 1 June 1957

Children

One daughter and three sons

Education

  • St Andrews College Christchurch
  • College of Pharmacy Wellington
  • Five year apprenticeship. Attended lectures at Christchurch. Organic and
  • Inorganic Chemistry, Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis, Pharmacology, Botany, Biology and practical pharmacy
  • Passed professional examinations 1950 and 1953 MPS PhC

Honours

  • ONZM Officer New Zealand Order of Merit (contribution to inventing) 2000
  • Featured in Centennial publication of Time Magazine 1999
  • Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for saving a life 1943 AWARDS
  • Gold medal Brussels 1976 Medical and Veterinary Surgical Instruments
  • Gold medal Brussels 1976 Tranquiliser Rifles, Pistols and Automatic Syringe Projectiles
  • Gold Medal Brussels 1976 Child Proof Containers
  • Bronze Medal (Brussels 1976) Rangefinder Telescopic Sights
  • New Zealand Industrial Design Council Design Mark – Tranquiliser Rifles, Pistols, Syringe Projectiles, etc 1969
  • International Design Awards 2 Designs, Injection Moulded Thermal Plastic
  • Products and Tooling 1971

Career

  • Established C A Murdoch Ltd – Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Chemists Timaru 1955
  • Established CAM Laboratories Ltd at Timaru. Registered Principal Technician and Managing Director. Laboratories licensed manufactures of biological products 1958
  • Registered and Licensed Radiographer (X-ray) for veterinary diagnosis 1952
  • Established Paxarms Ltd. Registered “Paxarms Logo” trade mark worldwide. Built factories in Timaru 1960
  • New Zealand Government granted full scientific status 1960, enabled to undertake research – drugs for immobilisation
  • Field tested available drugs and many new drugs manufactured by international drug companies. viz Burrows Wellcome, Bayer, Sandoz, Ethnor, Parke Davis. Glaxo, Baxter, Astra, Roche, Organon 1960-76

Animal research

  • Isolated Toxoplasmosis organism, cause of a fatal canine disease, established effective treatment 1951
  • Worked with Messrs Anderson and Henderson 1958-60 – Scientific paper published Himalayan Thar NZ
  • Established cause and an effective treatment for “Illthrift” in Lambs 1960s
  • Located genetic source, cause of dead lamb births, all with enormously enlarged congenital kidneys 1960s CONSULTANCIES
  • Technical consultant to Tasman Vaccine Laboratories 1966-72
  • Technical consultant to Merck Sharp and Dohme NZ Ltd 1972-76

Inventions

Invented over 40 products. Many patented and used worldwide

Best known for:

  • Tranquiliser or Dart Rifles, Pistols and Automatic Projectile Hypodermic Syringes manufactured at Timaru
  • Exported to over 150 countries of the world. Disposable Sterile and Prepared Plastic Hypodermic Syringes
  • Automatic Vaccinator Syringes and Vaccine Packs which revolutionised animal vaccination worldwide
  • Rangefinder Telescopic Rifle Sights
  • Silent Burglar and Fire Alarms
  • Childproof Medicine Containers
  • National President New Zealand Inventors Association 1967-68
  • Winner TV One Show “Inventor” 1976

Last updated: 16 Sep 2021