Medical Museum At The Calvary Hospital, Adelaide.

	South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc Website for the Virtual Museum
Home Coming meetings Past meetings About the Society Galleries of the Virtual Museum Main Galleries Medicine Surgery Anaesthesia X-rays Hospitals,other organisations Individuals of note Small Galleries Dentistry Nursing Ethnic medicine - Aboriginal - Chinese - Mediterran	Medical Museum At The Calvary Hospital, Adelaide. Acknowledgements: We are most grateful to Terry Omond OAM, the past curator of the museum, who kindly allowed us to photograph the numerous items and photographs of medical heritage stored at the museum. We also thank Ian Forbes, now deceased, who allowed us access to his records and the book he wrote about the history of the hospital 1900-2000. THE PAST: The Calvary Hospital, now Calvary North Adelaide Hospital was opened in 1883 due to efforts of two Catholic ladies, Mrs. Isabella Baker and her daughter Bessie. The original name was The North Adelaide Hospital. The first nursing staff were recruited by Isabella and Bessie after a visit to the Dominican Community in Staffordshire. They were followed in March 1900 by six Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, shown below, from left: Mother Mary Agatha, Mother Mary Joseph, Sister Mary Aloysius, Sister Mary Ursula, Sister Mary Michael, and Sister Dorothea. Sisters of the Little Company of Mary. The Sisters soon gained recognition for their nursing expertise. The hospital and the admission rate grew and additional funds and land became available. The Sisters were able to establish a nurse training program which was most successful and graduated 1596 nurses, but was closed in 1980. A very significant event was the establishment of the Mary Potter Hospice. Mary Potter, the founder of the order, was passionate about caring for the dying, particularly those who were impecunious. The Calvary hospital was in the forefront in the tradition. Several parts of the hospital were devoted to this aim from 1950, and the final building was started in 1988. Breaking ground for the new hospice, 1988. On the medical front there were many "firsts". Dr. D'Arcy Sutherland introduced cardiothoracic surgery in the 1950's, Dr. Robert Britten-Jones started laparoscopic surgery in 1990, Dr. Gristwood was involved in the recent developments in ENT surgery, and the Urologists initiated the purchase of the "Lithotripter" to fragment the urinary calculi. In the latter part of the 20^th century there was a decreasing interest in religions vocations and the numbers of Sisters and Priests decreased. Sister Ann, the last religious administrator, left for Sydney in 2012, and was replaced by Director of the Mission Dr. Susan Holoubek. The religious influence remained, but it was run by lay administrators. THE MUSEUM: A unique feature of the Calvary Hospital was the Museum. It was proposed by the past nurses association in 1986 and Mrs. Terry Omond, now OAM, had an important influence. Numerous historic items of nursing, surgical and medical fields were exhibited. The museum was formally opened by Mr. Mervyn Smith and blessed by Archbishop Gleeson in September 1991. A photograph taken at the formal opening of the museum. Left to right: Mr. Mervyn Smith president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Archbishop Gleeson and Mrs. Terry Omond later OAM. THE PRESENT: In May 2006, The Little Company of Mary Health care acquired Calvary Wakefield Hospital, Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital and Calvary Central Districts Hospital. It became the second largest private Health care provider in South Australia. The new campus required considerable changes in infrastructure and in intra-structure. One change needed was the relocation of the Museum to a more suitable site. It has been currently "boxed" and stored in Connery House awaiting relocation. The following photographs show some of the "then and now state". Calvary Hospital in 1906. The current Calvary North Adelaide Hospital. THE MUSEUM: As it was, showing photographs and cabinets with heritage items. The museum now. The corridor showing nurses uniforms, then. The corridor showing nurses uniforms, now. SOME OF THE PLAQUES STILL ON THE CORRIDOR WALLS. Directory plaque. Dedication plaque. Dr Britten-Jones' scales donation plaque. Dr Britten-Jones' scales. THE BRITTEN-JONES FAMILY WERE LEADERS IN THE HISTORY OF CALVARY HOSPITAL. THE DONATION OF THE SCALES WAS SIGNIFICANT. -o0o-

South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc

Website for the Virtual Museum

Home
Coming meetings
Past meetings
About the Society

Galleries of the Virtual Museum

Main Galleries

Medicine
Surgery
Anaesthesia
X-rays
Hospitals,other organisations
Individuals of note

Small Galleries

Dentistry
Nursing

Ethnic medicine
     - Aboriginal
     - Chinese
     - Mediterran

Medical Museum At The Calvary Hospital, Adelaide.

Acknowledgements: We are most grateful to Terry Omond OAM, the past curator of the museum, who kindly allowed us to photograph the numerous items and photographs of medical heritage stored at the museum. We also thank Ian Forbes, now deceased, who allowed us access to his records and the book he wrote about the history of the hospital 1900-2000.

THE PAST:
The Calvary Hospital, now Calvary North Adelaide Hospital was opened in 1883 due to efforts of two Catholic ladies, Mrs. Isabella Baker and her daughter Bessie. The original name was The North Adelaide Hospital. The first nursing staff were recruited by Isabella and Bessie after a visit to the Dominican Community in Staffordshire. They were followed in March 1900 by six Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, shown below, from left: Mother Mary Agatha, Mother Mary Joseph, Sister Mary Aloysius, Sister Mary Ursula, Sister Mary Michael, and Sister Dorothea.

Sisters of the Little Company of Mary.

The Sisters soon gained recognition for their nursing expertise. The hospital and the admission rate grew and additional funds and land became available. The Sisters were able to establish a nurse training program which was most successful and graduated 1596 nurses, but was closed in 1980.

A very significant event was the establishment of the Mary Potter Hospice. Mary Potter, the founder of the order, was passionate about caring for the dying, particularly those who were impecunious. The Calvary hospital was in the forefront in the tradition. Several parts of the hospital were devoted to this aim from 1950, and the final building was started in 1988.

Breaking ground for the new hospice, 1988.

On the medical front there were many "firsts". Dr. D'Arcy Sutherland introduced cardiothoracic surgery in the 1950's, Dr. Robert Britten-Jones started laparoscopic surgery in 1990, Dr. Gristwood was involved in the recent developments in ENT surgery, and the Urologists initiated the purchase of the "Lithotripter" to fragment the urinary calculi.

In the latter part of the 20^th century there was a decreasing interest in religions vocations and the numbers of Sisters and Priests decreased. Sister Ann, the last religious administrator, left for Sydney in 2012, and was replaced by Director of the Mission Dr. Susan Holoubek. The religious influence remained, but it was run by lay administrators.

THE MUSEUM:
A unique feature of the Calvary Hospital was the Museum. It was proposed by the past nurses association in 1986 and Mrs. Terry Omond, now OAM, had an important influence. Numerous historic items of nursing, surgical and medical fields were exhibited. The museum was formally opened by Mr. Mervyn Smith and blessed by Archbishop Gleeson in September 1991.

A photograph taken at the formal opening of the museum. Left to right: Mr. Mervyn Smith president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Archbishop Gleeson and Mrs. Terry Omond later OAM.

THE PRESENT:
In May 2006, The Little Company of Mary Health care acquired Calvary Wakefield Hospital, Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital and Calvary Central Districts Hospital. It became the second largest private Health care provider in South Australia. The new campus required considerable changes in infrastructure and in intra-structure. One change needed was the relocation of the Museum to a more suitable site. It has been currently "boxed" and stored in Connery House awaiting relocation.
The following photographs show some of the "then and now state".