Chance, Arthur Joseph (1908–1980), orthopaedic surgeon, was born 15 November 1908 in Dublin into a medical family, third among four sons and one daughter of Sir Arthur Chance (qv), surgeon, and Martha Chance (née Rooney). He was educated at Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare (1898–1905), Trier, and TCD, and graduated BA (1909), MB, BAO, BCh, MD (1912), M.Ch. (1915) (Dubl.); was awarded the surgical travelling prize and Bennett medal (1914); and was admitted FRCSI (1914) and FRCS, Eng. (1915).
During the first world war, as captain in the RAMC (1915–18) he served in casualty clearing stations. He was appointed surgeon (1916–66) to Dr Steevens' Hospital, Dublin, and subsequently became chairman of the board of governors (1954–72). Practising as a general surgeon, he was one of the first in Ireland to appreciate the necessity of specialisation in orthopaedics, and on his appointment to the visiting staff of the Charitable Infirmary, Jervis St. (1930–61), he established a specialist unit in orthopaedic surgery; he kept abreast of new developments and in his latter years devoted himself exclusively to this speciality. Professor of surgery at the RCSI (1929–46) and hon. professor of orthopaedic surgery, TCD (1951), he was consulting surgeon to several hospitals. An expert witness in the high court, he developed a medico-legal practice. After the hospital federation and amalgamation act (1961), he was appointed first chairman of the Central Council of the Federated Dublin Hospitals (1961–4). Elected fellow of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Orthopaedic Association, he subsequently served as vice-president (1954) of the latter.
In his youth he was a fine golfer, but in later years this enthusiasm gave way to a passion for racing and he took great delight in his appointment as hon. surgeon to three racecourses. His sister Alice Carleton was president of the British Association of Dermatologists and two of his stepbrothers were medical practitioners: Oliver (‘Bill') Chance was a pioneer in radiotherapy and founder and director of St Luke's Hospital, Dublin, and George Chance was a radiologist at the Royal Hospital, Derby, England. Chance lived at 90 Merrion Sq. Dublin. Having suffered a debilitating stroke (1972) he died 24 June 1980 and was cremated. He married (1941) Harriett McBurney; they had at least one daughter.