MEDICAL PRACTICE IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND IN THE EARLY DAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 53

MEDICAL PRACTICE IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND IN THE EARLY DAYS.

By

Robebt Valpy Fulton, M.D.

Dr Hocken, •who was at this time in the “hey dev” of his prosperity, carried on his practice vigorously He was a frequent visitor at the Taieri, to which he rode, as the journey was now quite an easy one—roads smooth and well metalled, rivers bridged, accommodation houses clean and comfortable. In Dunedin in the seventies infectious diseases were again rife, much scarlatina and diphtheria taking heavy toll of infant life. Dr Hocken, quick and alert in speech and manner, made up for his diminutive stature by liis bustling energy —always full, one might say, of the joyousness of life—bright, cheerful, and friendly, he was particularly fond of humorous stories, and a great retailer of them, for he had a vast store of experiences “piled up” from a very full and adventurous life. Side splitting yarns from the diggers among whom he had “worked,” blood-curdling experiences from the hundreds of ghastly inquests which he had been compelled to hold, heart-rending tales of sorrow and suffering among the widows and children of those swept out of existence by fire, flpod, and famine, for in those days many persons died of cold and starvation. An hour with Dr Hocken, when in reminiscent mood was worth more than a seven shilling novel. Dr Hocken was one of the most humane, one of the most lovable members of the profession with whom we have been brought in contact. Most punctilious so far as medical etiquette went, and in rules of ethical conduct, scrupulously careful of the rights and opinions of others, absolutely insisting at all times upon upholding the dignity and honour of the profession, Hocken was the man to whom his colleagues looked for guidance upon such questions. What he said was right and most accepted his opinion as correct without cavil or hesitation. On several occasions he was President of the Otago Medical Association, and always fought for what was honourable and straightforward. In the early nineties, he introduced what we believe he had carried out in earlier years, a system of calling together at his house a dozen members of the profession once a month, for a game of cards and friendly intercourse over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. These social evenings were a great success and were the means of bringing together men too often prone to pass each other in the street with a mere nod ; men who perhaps did not speak to one another for a twelvemonth, were closely associated over a “flutter” at poker or 100, or in friendly chat, and were all much the better for the experience. We well remember Alexander Fergusson, the genial, redwhiskered Irishman, “long” John Macdonald. De Zouche with his little 'white “imperial,” Joe Closs, William Brown, Hocken always a host in himself, and one of the keenest in the game, Batchelor, Colquho-un, Roberts, Davies and several still in our city, all making up a party, merry and good tempered. Hair raising medical experiences were related, but they were often of a burlesque type, and an attempt to pull one another’s leg, but most of the younger men were glad to listen to the elders talking, particularly if the conversation turned to student days, when the names of giants in the profession were mentioned—Lister, Simpson, S'yme, Snence, Joe Bell. Annandale Littlejohn, Graves. Stokes, Wilde, Liston, Brodie, Clift. Charles Bell. etc. Stories of Knox and the Burke and Hare murders in lidinburgh were told, Dr Hocken mentioning how a letter from the “famous” Professor Knox had come into his possession. Knox as was mentioned in one of our earlier articles was the teacher of Anotomv and the owner of an extra-mural dissecting room in Edinburgh, when the Burke and Hare murders took place, the bodies being disposed of bv sale to Knox at £lO each. W hen the trial was over Knox liad to clear out of the country, and eventually came to New Zealand. Letters and notes can he found in the Hocken Library with Dr Hocken’s comments. Largely owing to Dr TTocken’s evidence before tho Sanitary Commission, the 1860 Medical Registration Act became law, and something better than the previous farce was now enacted, for persons were buried with a proper death certificate signed bv a nullified practitioner. But even yet strange thongs happened, and the death register makes.curious reading. Unqualified men still flourished as the following story tells: In a town, not 100 miles from Dunedin, a doctor, let us call him Dr Samson, put up his brass plate and commenced practice, atid was consulted bv not a few. His manner was good, his style cool and self possessed if no.t. actually polished, his chief stock in trade, a particularly glib tongue, and an effective pill composed of aloes, lard and kerosene. He charged half-a.-sovereign for consultation and a box of these pills which he prescribed for practically everv ailment that flesh is heir to. He coined money for a time, hut having no family and being fond of company, he spent a good deal of his time in the fashionable bars of the city. One day, well dressed and debonair, he was in the bar of the biggest, and ravel lest hotel when, to his manifest discomfort*.he was hailed by some rather frowsy looking new arrivals with “Hullo Cookie! are you here? You seem to have struck it rich. Don’t vou know your old pals?” A hasty adiourment took place, a, whispered conversation in the side room, the passage of n few half-crowns seemed to settle matters, but the affair could not he “kept dark,” too many “patients” had witnessed the occurrence, and the “sleek doctor” who was, in reality, the very able cook of the Great Britain (the ship Dr Hocken had #bmp by), saw the game was up, and Reared quickly out of the town, leaving

a good many lamenting creditors behind him.

About this time a young woman who was connected with, one of the theatrical companies visiting the city, became very ill, and when practically dying called in a Dunedin medical man, and he in the ordinary course of his treatment and quite justifiably administered a hypodermic injection of a quarter of a grain of morphia to relieve her intense agony. There were some curious circumstances surrounding her death, which are not of importance here, but which at the time necessitated an inquest, and the jury brought in a verdict of “justifiable homicide,” against the doctor in question ! ! ! A doctor to-day would protest vigorously against such a score against him and demand “misadventure.” It must be remembered that the hypodermic syringe was in those days more or less of a novelty, and the woman dying after such a dose was enough to frighten any nervous jury.

Tremendous rows took place between the public and the Hospital authorities under the old regime. Written orders for admission had to be obtained from the secretary, and the newspapers were filled for some weeks with letters and articles referring to a man named McCulloch, who was refused admittance to the hospital and died in an epileptiform seizure. This wa.» just before Dr Hocken’s time, and indirectly, we think, led to his appointment as Coroner. On this occasion Mr IT. Howorth refused to hold an inquest because an outside practitioner, Dr George Wilson, was willing to give a certificate that the man died from inflamation of the brain. There was a great to do about it, and shortly after Mr Howorth resigned and Dr Hocken was appointed. Frequent drowning accidents took place, for inexperienced miners would try to cross swollen rivers when common sense should have warned them to wait an hour or two; sometimes even in a spirit of bravado they would wade in before the very eyes of their mates, be washed off their feet and drowned. Even the Maoris had more “gumption” than this,’and in crossing deep rushing streams and rocky torrents carried upon their shoulders or heads heavy boulders which served to ballast them and helped materially in preventing their being overturned by the torrent. In 1862, a man named MacNarnara coolly walked into.the Waipori River and was carried down the stream before the eyes of a number of his mates who could do nothing to help him and could not even find his body. The new system of registration of deaths shows up clearly some startling facts, one, the enormous number of deaths of children from scarlatina maligna, and diphtheria. A large number registered as having died of “thrush,” which might be almost anything, and is marked evidence of the “prepathology” days, when very little was known as to the actual cause of disease. One of the local men, rather famous for his pompous, “cast your eye over me” air, always wrote his certificates in Latin, and invariably used “senectus,” when his humbler h ret hern registered “old age”; Distentio membrorum, Paralysis ramollissement; Apoplexia ex haemorrhagica; Mc.rbi valvarum aorticarum cordis; Congestio passiva pumonis, all sneak for themselves, no doubt they duly impressed the undertaker and the registrar, and cast a curious light upon the personality of the practitioner long since panged to his well-earned rest. Among Dr Hocken’s certificates one often comes upon “You may lawfully permit the body of to he buried, and for so doing this is your warrant. —(Signed) T. M. Hocken, Coroner. We have received an interesting note on the old Fire Brigade from Mr Sydney Muir who lived on Bell Hill in the sixties. The first location of the fireball in Dunedin was on the tap of the eastern side of Bell Hill where the First Church now stands. It was afterwards removed to the western side. The first fire brigade station was on the ground floor of the old Town Board’s offices which stood in Princes street at the southern corner of the present Stock Exchange Buildings. It was removed to a site now occupied by Dr Stuart’s monument, not reallv in Custom House Square. Abraham Charles Rees was, I think, the first Captain. Practical jokes were prevalent in those, days, and a. certain individual named Dicker Hamilton, a racing man. perpetrated one on Rees. He got a child’s sixpenny toy watch and a jeweller to put it into handsome case, which was fastened down so that it could not lie opened. He collected a lot of prominent people at the Provincial Hotel and notified Rees of a uresentation to him. The presentation came off, Hamilton made a flowery speech and duly presented tho watch trving to, hut regretting lie could not open th° case without spoiling it. Rees replied feelingly, ordered champagne for the crowd. History does not say what he said when he opened the case. Another rather good little story has come to ns and we insert it here: In December, 1863. the usual festivities took place, and on Now Year’s Eve the young “Knuts” sallied out, bent on having a good time and a joke with everyone they met on the way. Now it happened on this particular evening Dr Hocken was out on a professional round, and as he had early made it a rule not to touch liquor when “on business bent.” he was anxious to .avoid the revellers whom he well knew would he particularly active right on to the “wee short hours ayont the twal!” To half-a-dozen well primed “First Footers” who met him on this New Year’s Eve or rather early New Year’s morning argument w.as of no avail, and in endeavouring to escape these jokers, Hocken. who was an active athletic little chap" darted up the side of a clay bank in Princes street cutting, .about where Stewart Dawsons is now. The bank was very slippery, and to tho dismay of the revellers the little doctor slipped upon it and fell back and broke his leg. This put an end to the “fittin,” for they had to go and get.a door off its hinges and carry the little man right round Rattray street to

his home, shown in the photograph recently. The story shows what the condition of the main street of the city was 60 years ago, it also shows clearly that the grey heads of to-day had just as much devilment in them in those far off times as the youngsters of modern times.

•Note! We have orders for 650 copies out of the 1000 and have started correcting proofs for )the bound volumes of these articles. As soon as t&e book is published such copies as are still available will be handed to the booksellers to be sold at 12s 6d. The hooks will be supplied first to those who have paid for them, so that anyone who wishes to he certain of a copy had better forward the cost 7s 6d plus 8d postage at an early date. The author would be greatly obliged if persons interested in any particular locality would communicate with him pointing out errors or omissions they have noticed. See .advertisement in index page of this issue.