LINER DIVERTED FOR DOCTOR TO OPERATE AT PITCAIRN ISLAND

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 August 1949, Page 4

LINER DIVERTED FOR DOCTOR TO OPERATE AT PITCAIRN ISLAND

AUCKLAND, Last Night (P.A.) Retracing her course for 200 miles, the Port Line’s motor ship Port Pirie recently landed her doctor at Pitcairn Island so he could perform an emergency operation on an islander. The Port Pirie was on her way from Napier to the United Kingdom and an urgent appeal to her for aid was sent by radio from Pitcairn. The Herald’s correspondent at Pitcairn says this was the second time in a few days that the island had seek help from ships’ doctors, The first arose when the resident nurse had a diliicult bronchial case. She used the radio to consult, the ship's doctor ot the Empire Star, then on her way to Auckland from the United Kingdom. Discussions between the ship and the shore were held for two days. Then as the Empire Star moved out of range responsibility for helping the nurse was handed over to the doctor on the Port Pirie, which was steaming up the ; Pacific from Napier. The patient had scarcely recovered when another islander suddenly developed appendicitis. As the nurse could not operate, an urgent appeal was sent to the Port Pirie. The ship, then 200 miles northward of Pitcairn, turned about and went back to the island's anchorage. A whale-boat was sent out from Pitcairn and the ship's doctor, the first officer, and a cadet made a wet trip ashore in rough

weather. The doctor confirmed the nurse’s diagnosis and the little Pitcairn health clinic was quickly transformed into an operating theatre. The ship had arrived off the island at 8.30 a.m, By 4.30 p.m. the operation had been declared successful. The patient was resting easily and the doctor and his assistants were I back on their ship. I Although doctors from passing ships have been called to Pitcairn before to treat urgent cases, this was the first operation of its kind performed on the island. The resident nurse is an Australian whose appointment was arranged between the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific and the Seventh Day Adventist. Church. She has two partly trained Pitcairn girls as assistants.