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South Australian Medical Heritage Society Inc

Website for the Virtual Museum

 

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Jamestown National Museum Trust

Acknowledgement: The tour of the museum and the photographs were kindly permitted by Mrs Humphris, curator of the museum.

The Jamestown Museum was founded in 1971. It contains numerous historical items which are relevant to the town’s past. Among the most interesting are the flour mill, the “Emu” factory, a shearing shed, a crop stripper, and a railway carriage which was used as an ambulance and later to accommodate railway workers.

There is also a "Both" Iron Lung at Netley. To see it, click here.

Two other features demonstrate the history of the Bundaleer Forest , and several medical items such as an “Iron lung”, and a “Humicrib”, manufactured by “Both” Industries.

Other medical items include splints and other heritage items used by Dr. Verco, the town’s last century doctor.

Dr. Luke Verco (1912-1996), an Adelaide University graduate came to Jamestown in 1948 after WW2 and was the principal doctor for 31 years. He practiced with Dr. John Anderson until 1954, and with Dr. Alan Bentley until 1962. In 1968 he was awarded a membership of the Australian College of General Practice. He was awarded an MBE in 1979 for services to medicine. The following photographs are of some of the instruments and apparatus used by him.

Hospital ” humicrib” donated at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 2nd

X. Ray dept kerosene dark room lamp


Nipple shield and breast pump (far left) and nipple shield container lid


A pessary mould



Early anaesthetic apparatus.

Anaesthetic gas flow gauges (far left)

 

Operating theatre suction pump


Immobilising splint used to prevent contractures in a polio patient

An arm splint

Boxed set of small surgical instruments (? ophthalmic)

Iron Lung at Jamestown

Acknowledgment : These additional photographs have been taken with the kind permission of Mrs. Humphris of the National Trust Museum . .

The “Both” iron lung in the museum has a spare set of bellows. The mannequin is a recent addition. Unfortunately there is considerable evidence of time deterioration in the plywood and the rubber seals. However restoration to the full function may be possible. It is of interest that the first “Both” model according to Bert Causby a technician involved in the construction was made of floor boards.

[See also example at Netley]

Compressor with a stainless steel lever which was used to operate the bellows in case of power failure. A corrugated rubber hose is used to connect the bellows to the pipe in the lower end of the “lung”.

Top end of the machine showing mannequin and head seal



Plaque showing serial number

Plaque showing Dunlopillo contribution

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