MEDICAL PRACTICE IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND IN THE EARLY DAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 53

MEDICAL PRACTICE IN OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND IN THE EARLY DAYS.

By

ROBERT VALPY FULTON.

M.D.

LXXXIII.—INVERCARGILL IX THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES. Dr George A. Lewis came to Invercargill in 1881, and advertised in the “Southland News” of April 11 that he * was a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, late consulting physician to the Clerkenwell General Hospital, London, had succeeded Dr Cotterell, and commenced practising both in town and country. Dr Cotterell introduced him to his patients as an efficient practitioner. He also mentioned that he intended to visit Winton once or twice a month. The “Southland News” of July 20, 1882, in a loral stated: “Legal proceedings, we are informed, have been' instituted by Dr Lewis again the proprietors of our local contemporary. Dr Lewis considers his professional reputation injured by the statements made in a correspondent s letter signed ‘Humanity’ which appeared in Tuesday’s issue of the ‘'limes,’ and, denying the truth of the allegations therein made, he has instructed his solicitor to sue for substantial damages.” Mr J. D. Shepherd, a verv old resident, says that this refers to the case of a patient in the Invercargill Hospital while Dr Lewis was surgeon in charge. '1 he man had been operated on for tumour on the liver ; he became delirious, and, not being watched, he escaped from the hospital and got into the bush off the North road. He was out all night in cold, stormy weather with only a hospital shirt on. He was found some time during the next dav and taken hack to the hospital, but died soon afterwards. A very scathing letter signed “Humanity” appeared in the “Southland Times,” reflecting upon the management of the hospital. Dr Lewis brought an action against the “Times,” and was awarded one farthing damages. A Mr Wishhart stated in evidence that he was the writer of the letter. Dr Lewis did not remain long in Invercargill after this affair, but went up to Clyde, where he was for three years. Dr Blair is the last Invercargill doctor of whom we have records, and he seems at his first entrance into the town to have ruffled Dr C'otterell’s feathers. We have his professional card, which states that “Dr Blair. M.D.. honorary physician in the hospital, Dunedin, intends to practise in Invercargill after the beginning j of March, prox. Dunedin, February 3, 1881.” In the “Southland News” of February 14, 1881, appeared the following:—“Mr Cotterell.—Mr Cotterell is quite right when he states ‘that Dr Blair, of Dunedin, is in no way connected with either himself or his practice’ at present, but Dr Blair begs to state that although he has no wish to be connected with Mr Cotterell himself in anv way whatever, he hopes to have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some of his patients. Then he informs the public that he may he consulted daily at Mr G. S. Mackay’s, F.-k street, and a month later at the Albion Hotel. Dee street. He then moved into Leet street (Smith’s new brick buildings). Mr J. D. Shepherd in his notes writes that on one occasion Dr Blair was called to a case at Gorge road in the Seaward Bush, distant now from Invercargill by railwav 19 miles, but by road in those days probably much further. He hired a buggy and pair and drove to Morton Mains, where he stabled his turnout and went the rest of the way, some nine miles, along John Murdoch’s tramline into the hush. After attending to the patient he returned to Morton Mains, and found that the stable, horses, and buggy had been destroyed by fire. He had to pay for their hire, as well as for another conveyance hack to town. Dr Blair returned to Dunedin and practised for some time, living first at the corner ol Albany street and later in Moray place. He died in the middle “nineties.” In some notes on Invercargill’s early days Mr J. D. Shepherd says:—The old Roval Hotel was then quite a new building : it stood on some open ground a little distance south of the road, now Tay street. The spot is now occupied by Kirk and Royd’s large brick building at the corner of Tav and Nith streets. The timber for the hotel had been pit-sawn hv Messrs Small and William Brown at 25s a 100 feet. It was a small, low building, with verandah, on the north (front) side. Mr Shepherd’s father built what was at the time considered a goodsized house on the main Dunedin road, a little east of Tav street. The home contained several small rooms, and was a two-storeyed building with a high-pitched shingled roof and a verandah. Here some of the runholders’ wives came for accommodation during illness, notably Mrs R. W. Aitkin, from Clifden Station, Waiau; Mrs John R. Cuthbertson. from Otahu Station. Waiau; Mrs A. M'Neil, from Ardiussa Station ; and others, during the sixties. There were many cases of great hardships owing to the lack of medical assistance and competent nurses in those days. Mr Shepherd relates one which occurred during the winter of 1877, when he, with a brother and mate, were ploughing at Heddon Bush. One night of severe frost, as they lay awake in their hut (an iron one), unable to sleep for the cold, they heard a waggon corning along the ruttv, frozen road from Wreys Bush, and expected the driver to stop fnr a drink of tea; he passed on, however. The next morning, as the ground was frozen too hard for ploughing, young Shepherd rode into Winton with some plough socks which required sorting. He got there in time to see the early morning train arrive from Invercargill. One of the passengers to alight was Dr Cotterell, and in a horse box was his splendid grey horse, saddled and bridled, ready for the road. The driver

of the waggon was there to meet the doctor, and young Shepherd learned that it was the Mount Linton Station waggon, which had brought a shepherd’s wife from a hut beyond Annandale, the property at Wrey’s Bush of the late Mr Win. Johnson. She had been taken ill, a confinement case, and Dr Cotterell was sent for, hut as there was no one in the neighbourhood who could do anything for her, and she was suffering greatly, it was decided to take her into Winton, a distance of 30 miles, over mud roads, in a night of bitter cold, her conveyance a six-horse waggon. Before the doctor reached her, her twin children were, born and died, but she herself recovered. Another case was related by the late Mr MTntosh (Big Mac), of Fairfax. When he was waggoning wool from up-country stations on one occasion he was passing a small roadside house, and noticed children crying, apparently in great trouble. Going inside, he found the mother dead with a new-born baby. It turned out that when she was taken ill the father went off to fetch a woman, hut lost his way in a thick fog, and got off the road, which was only a bridle track. <* He had not returned when the waggon came along. Meantime the poor woman died. Numerous other cases occurred of women dying for need of medical assistance. What would women of to-clay, with their St. Helens Hospitals, Blanket Nurses, motor ambulances, and other comforts think of such conditions? Mr Shepherd remembers an accident which happened very early in the sixties, the scene being the present Kelvin street, between Tay and Don streets, then thick hush. A man engaged in felling trees used to have his dinner brought by his son, a hov about 10 years of age. One day the dinner did not arrive as usual, and the man went to his cottage, but lound that the boy had started off with it at the usual time. A search revealed the dead body of the boy. In pushing his way through the scrub he had dislodged a partially fallen sapling, which struck him on the back of the head and pinned him to the ground.

The Southland Hospital.—The building at first used as a hospital in Invercargill, in 1861-62, was the Immigration Barracks in Tay street, a row of fern-tree and sod huts joined together. The late Mr Thomas Middleton, who died a few years ago at upwards of 90 years, used occasionally to hold a church service there. He was a rather eccentric person, and in his discourses would sometimes liken human beings to vessels made of clay, some of finer material than others. He would then go on to describe the different classes, ending up with the “wild Irishman” and “common bullock driver,” who were formed out of brick-dust. The real hospital when built was quite out of the town, and stood in the midst of tussock a.nd swamp grass, with native hush close beside it. The notorious Dr Murray was the first surgeon in charge. Dr Monckton succeeded him, having returned to Invercargill from Riverton. The original hospital building is still standing. It was for many years used as the quarters of the resident surgeon. It is joined to a two-storeyed addition by a covered passage-way.

Churches.—The Presbyterian Church at Riverton must have been built very early in the sixties, as “The Southern News” of April, 1861, mentions that the Rev. Lachlan M'Gillivary was inducted there on the 12th of that month. All Saints’ Church at Rval Bush is one of the oldest churches in Southland. It was built in 1861, and consecrated by Bishop Harper, of Christchurch, when Southland formed part of his diocese. The Rev. W. F. Oldham was the first clergyman. He had a large district, and rode long distances over rough roads and tracks. Later on he accepted the charge of the Anglican Church at Riverton, and there, on January 9. 1866, he was married by the Rev. W. P. Tanner to Mary, second daughter of the Rev. L. M'Gillivary. All Saints’ is a pretty little church, now somewhat in need of repairs. In its churchyard are the graves of Dr Butler and several members of his family. Here also is the grave of Dr M'Clure’s 11-year-old son, who died from the effect of a gunshot wound in 1871, and that of the doctor’s older brother, Mr James Morehand McClure, of “The Grange,” Rval Bush, who died on January 17. 1875. St. John’s Anglican Church, Tav street, Invercargill, was built in 1861, and opened for public worship on August 4, 1681, Rev. W. P. Tanner, clergyman, in charge. St. John’s Cemetery at Waikiwi was consecrated on April 10, 1874; but it had been in use for several years. All Saints’ Church. Gladstone, Invercargill, was built in 1877, and formally opened by the Bishop of Dunedin on January 20, 1878. The first marriage celebrated in tliis church was a double wedding oil April 25. 1878, the officiating clergyman being the incumbent Rev. F. Knowles. The church is a brick building, now well covered with ivy, but not by any means a handsome church.

There have been many doctors in Invercargill in the last forty years, and we hope someone will feel disposed to spend time and trouble in writing uy> their histories. Times, however, have changed, and the conditions of practice are entirely different from what they were in the days of Monckton and M'Clure. Swamps have been drained, roads have been made, bridges span the creeks and rivers, railways have been constructed. Motor boats ply on lake and stream, motor cars carry the doctors to within easy walking distance of almost any patient, ambulance waggons can follow, horses are available in every village, telephones and telegraph wires spread like spiders’ webs across the plains. Invercargill is now a splendid city, with wide streets, massive buildings, fine bridges, and efficient trainways. Far may she advance her boundaries, many times multiply her population, until few will believe what we have haltingly endeavoured to describe, that she was once a tiny row of shanties mid forest, swamp, and creek.

Will those who have ordered the bound volume of these articles kindly forward to 2 Pitt street the price (8s 2d) at once. A large number have paid, and these who neglect to do this run the risk of having to pay 12s 6d when the balance of unsold copies is disposed of to the booksellers. We expect the book to be ready by Christmas. See advertisement in this issue and in the Daily Times.