An elderly lady with an interesting clinical history
Sydney Hospital, Australia’s oldest hospital, celebrated its anniversary at its present site on Sunday 30 October 2011, 200 years after New South Wales Governor Lachlan Macquarie laid its foundation stone. On Saturday 29 October, many current and former staff, patients, and other people interested in an integral part of Australia’s and Sydney’s history attended an open day and historical exhibition. The story of Sydney Hospital parallels that of Sydney itself — founded in makeshift circumstances to treat convicts, initially dependent on questionable dealings between commerce and government, but eventually establishing itself as a general hospital, serving and supporting a busy and vigorously growing colony and city. Over time, it has moved into providing a somewhat eclectic mix of specialist medical services to both the local Sydney community and New South Wales.
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- 1. Parliament of New South Wales. The “Rum Hospital” and Parliament House: History Bulletin 9, Parliament of New South Wales, 2001.
- 2. Historic Houses Trust. History of the mint. Rum Hospital 1811–1854. http://www.hht.net.au/discover/highlights/guidebooks/history_of_the_mint (accessed Dec 2011).
- 3. South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Health Service. Lucy Osburn — a true nursing pioneer. http://www.sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au/sydhosp/osburn.asp (accessed Dec 2011).
- 4. MacPherson J. Dennis Considen, Assistant Surgeon of the First Fleet. Med J Aust 1927; 2: 770-773.
- 5. Institute of Haematology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. History of the Kanematsu Laboratories. http://www.sswahs.nsw.gov.au/SSWPS/ToDelete/RPAH/KMI/history.html (accessed Dec 2011).
I thank the Media and Communications Office, South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health Districts for their assistance in the preparation of this article.
No relevant disclosures.