Boom & Bust: Health & Welfare

First Blood Transfusion
The following information has been reproduced with permission form the Ipswich Hospital Museum who published the articles in their newsletters "Museum Matters".

Australia’s first reported blood transfusion was performed at the Ipswich Hospital in 1882. The transfusion was done before blood groups were discovered by Austrian scientist Karl Landsteiner in 1900. The Queensland Times reported in its newspaper on Saturday, January 21, 1882 stating: On Monday last, a patient named Ernest Jones died after undergoing an operation. He was admitted two or three months ago after suffering from chronic disease of the knee joint.

The operation of excising the joint was performed by Dr. Webb, under, we believe, unfavourable circumstances about two months ago. As the patient was sinking fast from the exhaustive discharge, Drs. Webb and Macartney, in consultation on Monday last, decided to amputate the leg. Dr. Webb accordingly performed the operation, but the sufferer was in such a low state that he did not long survive it. Everything possible was done for him, and, as a dernier resort, transfusion of blood was tried, Dr. Macartney allowing about 20 ounces of his own blood to be injected into the patient’s veins. 

 

Mr. Jones was 26 years of age and died on January 16, 1882. He was buried at the Ipswich Cemetery on January 17. Clinical notes from the case stated the patient died of infection and shock rather than the incompatibility of the blood transfusion. About 20 ounces (about 600mml) A ‘dernier resort’ is a last resort.

History of the Children's Ward

The first purpose built children’s ward at Ipswich Hospital was the Jubilee Ward which opened in 1887, 27 years after the hospital was opened.

 

The original hospital building contained several wards but there was no specific provision for children. Nursing of children was usually done in the home. Destitute children were fostered out. Records indicate an allowance of 3d per week was given. Sick children may have received treatment and medicines as outpatients of the hospital. With patient accommodation being a bed in a dormitory and visiting hours twice a week, a recuperating child could have been disruptive to ward life. However, children with serious disease or injury may have been admitted to hospital, probably to the women’s ward. There is a record of a mother offering to work at the hospital for nothing so she could be near her sick child. Alternatively, there is a record of a widower’s two children sick with fever being denied admission, on the grounds that he could afford to hire a nurse or place them in a private nursing home.

Originally Jubilee building was only one storey high.

Early Days of Nursing - Uniforms

Uniforms were first provided in 1889. They were blue with a white apron – white symbolising hygiene and cleanliness and blue for purity. They were based on English versions, similar to domestic servants’ clothing of long-sleeved full length dress with apron, mob cap and cuffs. There was no distinction in rank.

In 1892 caps were introduced. These were usually cotton or linen, heavily starched. Practically they kept hair away from the face so it did not obstruct the nurse’s view or spread germs. They were also used to identify the nurse with a hospital or to signify rank.

Typhoid in Ellenborough Street

A letter to the Editor of the Queensland Times, published 2nd April 1895, from William Vicars Young, complained of unsanitary conditions that resulted in an outbreak of Typhoid:

... The old water reserve has been turned topsy-turvey, just at what is known to be fever season of the year.  Strong north-easterly winds having prevailed since, an epidemic as appeared in the very sweep of those breezes, just as though you had shot a poisonous arrow straight up the upper side of Ellenborough-street, and this fever commenced, and has prevailed there as it has prevailed nowhere else in the town.

Next, just as luck would have it there are two water-courses- drains, which carry all sorts of conceivable refuse- which meet, forming a junction just in the rear of this vert side of the street.  I, with many others, have seen a swamp of grassey [sic.] mud commencing from the drainage off certain premises, and trickling on through other premises until it meets another drain from the same street lower down, which I fear adds terribly to the evil.

Then the closest system is decidedly defective- at least some part of it is - as many persons know who pass along this street about 9 or 10 o'clock on a sultry summer's night; and Mr. Deane's olfactories must be seriously defective unless they have been shocked by an ordeal of this kind.  This closet question is a large one, and needs quite a revolution.