Document NEyvZDL9gyn0kXXbzomRxrwND
DEPARTMENT OF>PUBLIC HEALTH
District Medical Officer Port Hedland Date June 6th., 1948.
Dr. C.E. Cook, Dept, of Public Health, 57 Murray Street, PERTH.
Dear Dr. Cook,
Thank you for your kind letter which arrived yester e'en and which brought blushes to my cheeks.
It is some time since I sent you a report on the local set up which is beginning to work with tolerable smoothness. The first thing I found necessary to do was to improve the facilities of this hospital. We've tidied the theatre up and put in orders for many essential instruments for abdominal emergencies so that we can now cope with about 3 or 4 times 'a week and we've done about a dozen abdominal operations without disaster in sepsis. The matron's aid is invaluables it is a pity she is engaged but for six months for her studied efficiency is a welcome relief to the apathetic ignorance prevalent in vthe N.W. A few structural improvements are pretty urgent an<i I have appealed to the U/Secretary: new lino on the theatre floor, since stone is impossible; a washing sink, a coat of paint in the bath room and something to separate the service and bed pans from the bath and shower.
I have* managed to work through about 600 natives. There
is a fair amount of fracture surgery to do which I shall
work in with local facilities. I find it cleaner and more
efficient to do all major cutting, white or black, in Hedland.
hospital here, for you can well imagine the dangers of doing
at the
There are about five hernias
lined up tc^ be done and a couple of hysterectomies, an eye
etc. It is of course pretty impossible to collect
accurate statistics of native healths only a keen full time
man could do that, and we can only go by impressions. V.D.
spems prevalent particularly where the 'gins and bucks are
herded into these ghastly "Twelve Mile* and "Five Mile"
(etc.) camps where one woman with a chronic GC cervicitis
can infect dozens of bucks. The interpretation of
is, I agree, most difficult! of about 20 samples
I took for a variety of reasons, e.g.
nasal
discharges (?
) etc. most were positives whether
agglutination was occasioned by tertiary syphilis or yaws
is difficult to say. Occasionally I would say that other
objective evidence - such as the prevalence of Na/K about
and the odd
I have seen suggests that
pox is pretty prevalent.
PLAINTIFF'S
U EXHIBIT \ miss
. . .2
Page 2.
(b)
Provision of an officfe for the Dr, and matron where files could be properly kept. I have found difficulty in sorting out correspondence, card indexing, forms etc. from a ramshackle cupboard in the hospital dining room!
Hedland will always be a base for any local service - its situation is pleasant and it is convenient for supplies - in which case minor improvements would not be uneconomical.
(4) Preventative Medicine. In the past it appears that a curative form of medicine only has been practisedJ One wonders what powers one possesses to infuse preventive measures. Hygiene, as you have reported so well and forcefully in your report, is vitually non-existent - yet one is not even in a position to advise, let alone enforce, even the most primitive measures, such, as oiling mosquito breeding grounds, the prompt removal of nightsoil, conditions of meat -slaughter etc. Is any change likely in this unsatisfactory state of affairs, or does one sit and hope that dys. and malaria continue to evade Hedland (by some act of Providential Grace - perhaps because an R.C. priest lives next door?)
(5) Infant Welfare. In Hedland, Wittenoom Gorge, Nullagine, Koeburn, Marble Bar, a flourishing population of under fives exists'wbo unfortunately, enjoy none of the benefits of urban Social Services. X would like - think most necessary - to run clinics at all these spots, to do the usual things - advise on feeding problems - examine teeth, tonsils etc. - give pertussis and diph innoculations and finally give the worried and overworked mothers a fair crack of the whip. I gather the new matron and sister are keen but are not infant trained - what official backing have we? I would like to do a monthly visit to each of the above spots for this purpose. . \.
(6) Insect%Pests. The sandfly menace is a local source of irritation - the bastards have in fact bitten me to death. Assuming that the mangrove is the breeding ground it is a relatively simple task to spray from the air as we did so effectively in Burma and Siam - could you give me some information as to how much powdered D.D.T. is. required per unit area (e.g. acre)? and send up a few cwt of D.D.T. accordingly. X can arrange a of this side of the dragon' as easy as A.B.C. - I merely wish to know the quantities required.
(7) Wittenoom Gorge. As you know this is something of a problem. Macrae visited this dump of dumps once a fort night but 1*11 go over once a-week. The local manager (confidentially) is a species of ex-army pocket dictator, a miniature Goebbels, and I think as nasty, .who may be good technically with asbestos but has as much idea of personnel management as Benito Mussolini. The average duration of employment of his men is 2-3 weeks. He talks big about having Drs. nurses, etc. in the Gorge;
, at the moment and for a year to come, the idea is ludicrous.
.. ->
Page 3.
I average seven cases a visit with one emergency in
two weeks - to send anyone* there would be to drive a
good man to suicide and/or drink. What is necessary
and should be the responsibility of the Aus. Blue asbestos
company is -
"
(1) a properly equipped first aid room filled with
steriliser and all the gear necessary for clean work*
Situated away from the mine and run by a sister, or
a trained orderly - not a filthy nailed son of a bitch
with a St* John's ticket. Why? - because the Coy Insur-
ance must pay 100's for wounds that go septic for
no other reason than the fact that all they have is
this ghastly room with filthy dressings in which a badly
trained orderly tries his best to give all his patients
septicaemia, tetanus and
gangrene. Strong but the
truth.
(2) In the mine itself it is perhaps fortunate that men do not work extended spells for I shudder to think of -.the ravages asbestosis with T.3. may develop* Soon X want to collect some spits for asbestos bodies and some chest radiograms*
There a few comments in which you may be interested: with your help some improvements may come in time* Kind regards to yourself,
.Yours faithfully,
Eric G. Saint.
P.S. Could you send up some benzidine, 5 ragra tablets? and soma bethiline 100 mgm* do?
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xxtA-VGLATXCU COPY : Original'on 257/40.
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Dr. C.2.Cook, Dopt.of Public
Koalth
57 Hurray Stroct__
P/.RTH.
Door Dr. Cook,
PORT HnPLAJlP. ' r.. Juno, .6th,.. 19.40.: /-
Ahenk you for your kind lottor which arrivod yestoro* on'i
.. `and brou^it bluahes to oy chocks.
'^
"i-r
-:v
It io eomo time since 2 cont you a'roport on tho local!-'
- -'set up which is boginning to work v/it>v tolorablb smoothness. /'/y
no first thin/? I found nocossary to/do was to improve the
Kfacilitioo of this hospital. V/o'vc'.tidied tho theatre up and put--'
/'.in orders for aany ossentlal instruments for abdominal emergen-"
cieo eo that wo can now cope with about 3 or 4 tonsilo a week and .
wo'vo done about a doson.abdominal operations without.dioaetor or u*.
sop8is. Tho Uotron'a aid is invaluanles it lo a pit}/oho io
" y encased for but-six months for hor otudiod efficiency'la a'v.-olco V
.".relief to the apathetic.grievance prevnlcnt'in the'K.V.-'a few
*
structural- Improvement a are - pretty-urgent and- I' have appealed'to w
the Undor Secretary; new,lino On tho theatre/floor, since stone - -.-
. . is impossible; a washing' sink, coat of paint in the bathroom and
eomething- to soparato-c the sluice and bdpons ;from- tho both -andu / -
shower.
^;y;;
'V
' I.hsvo managed to work'through about: 600(?) natives."55-*/
Thoro Is a fair amount of urgent'surgery to do which I shall workC
, in with local facilities. I find it clenner*and wore ' efficient-;. *y
. ' to do-all major cutting,, whi to. or. black in xort ilodlond hospital*-/
:/.. here, for you canfwoll ima/rine ' tho'danges of; doing hcoCSthaphico./,/
(?) at the:LickirjThoro aro aboutifivo.hernias lined up,to/be y/vly
11 'done and. avcouple of: (?)sectomieo, and eye: luncleation otc!J-It:5-'-
- ^j\ is of- course pretty;- impossible- to collccf'aeeurate otitis tics of./
*7.'..;'.native health; only: a koon full .tine non,.could do that, and:one:;.*i
can only go- by- impressions..,/
/
./i "
/' 'v
|
V.D.Doeens provalent particularly where the gins and*-~'?;-;
; ,, ' / bucks, are horoded into these-ghastly:-"Tnelva'iiloS: ?iveHllo,, ;Otc.'i;^
i l ' \esaaps-.where one'woman' with:a' chronic .,G.C.'-ceurcitic can. infoct'.fe^:i;;
/[v.l./'rf^dozene f of.b lacks.-..Tho^interprota tl on tof-{ who oe* kahns- is /*! /agruo
` y^.'ipvfjr.fooet :dif f icult.r`>Of.about' 20/eamplo3,rl?tookii'for: a .variety,, of
/ / '' -y/reasono, - eg. 3abre*tibiao,; nosal'^diccharcos -'(?Cuwaa): etc.vraost//'//
.i;i.'/were pooitive; whothor oggullnatlon was oooaoioned by tortiary./i/,:
- i I .
syphilis or:yawo is difficult.to'say. / Personally I would`3oy-i;-`,v ;
.-y that .often objective - ovidence such, as .the provalenco 'of.'ild./`;>/,-.;
'.;y./v v:
intensive orgnnl cation; A. hrly. - Rulnhanaraidoe,\3 `hrly-ponl cili in/Jy J
//good intravenous technique, urothrai ungitiono*for>tho-.;chronic'55v-:d J
* --p--r-o--s-tatoo e-to- . otc. - v/1iat
__-V..-.rjii
~;:;that Native Affairs wont
'(a) Don't bother
y-,.: *"
'tc:thc bush
(b) ;.tako-thorn nork-ao-^tockmen^an^givo th'm'medicar;.`.: y
vy;-y.y.. attention,-^rln.{which?canopyou?.wpnt comcthingiai%;! .jyJ/`
.........
, --bbiitt bboottttoorr---thannn. ona-nursei-oX-rotiriuyv oge.-. in-a
:J^^-vV^^y,::--.'.y,`l'r;y';:vyyi:*'rhoopltal:'about?to'.y',coiTap8o'5a't^any.lmooonty}:i;'r/:'iT'.VHr3'.
..t.- -.`.r:-:: There' aro throe o;.h'or/qu^^
)ltn4.*7 .' yy ;'i:!':
., 1
(l) Is tho combi nod Diphtheria-ii Potrucois. about vtfiich
:,rhv
: , 'Vy.y
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C 1254
O,..p..agO ;2 .*: i-' V....... //'. /'L,_ _ _ _ __
'3* *ltoraturft 10 30 cnthuslao tic`,`";"ot'"'at*
|'
'-That aro tho chances eventually of f?ettin^'~our'*ovn^4vrv??'-'
._ - /; Vorooono power plant? Tho town oupply lo erratic,1
ft:*;:V-.:, 1 i abi e to brock down in tho middle of on appendix and
i
.!5.^'.T.'c^.--l.-.V.-;..: glvoa at somo timoe only about l8o volta to'the X-ray
i
machino. Tho station peoplo got plant inclusivo for,,--.-''Tr. i
about X200. '^4^.:; afld' finally
/
,/
. /. ................ ...................
(3); Would the'Health Deportment consider it an extravagance ' '!
installing, \ith(2) a good X-ray plant? Thoso. portables }
you know aro' not much blactod use./ 'They show up a groeo v i
'4 Sfiafefepti.vs:'j
Collo's but/you. are Jaat as likely to miss'a hair{?) /.viv.-" \
V* A /hn a 1
wU a < /4 rt H
A^Afr+a a*
v
;/, ^ 'V'..
raya.^-
and U.Q. oelcctlons and about half's' dozen ohest that'xx 'j
need' invoaticatinjj carefully.-' Its impossible to do good'-1")
medicine giving couidt medicine when you don't Vnow.-b\v*7;{
whether you're dealing with a chronic bronchitic, . ':'/. /
Jiuborcule^or-carcinonia-of. the_ {R main bronchius
' y tforoover,. I've an eye on the'future - the abbeotoc'minoh;-j
at Wittenoom, lot the record operators without any sorL-.'.'i
of dust extractor whatsoever; and since the incubation-v'v :*
period of o9bsstoa is so much less than six?, in a year.: '*
or two A.3.A. will produce the rlchoot xxas-and moot v\
lethal crop of eases of aebestosis in . tho world's . r\ ;
literature.. - I've looked at two 3plta and found aeboatoo
bodies, not evidence indeed that fibrosis actually
prosent, out clearly proving tho absorbtion of tho basis ''
agent, llaturally I think. oomo_of .thoso choot oould vc -!
looked into
"
. With best nishos,
^
Yours faithfullyv
. ..v
(sgd). Zrio Q. Zaini.
V**SV* s *-' ~
....
C 1255
