Ever wondered what being a patient at a South Australian hospital was like over 140 years ago?
Fortunately, we can get a glimpse of this experience from an account that appeared in the Adelaide Observer newspaper on the 28th December 1878. The writer, who gives his name as only ‘A Casual Patient’, describes himself as “having a fair faculty of observation and an uncommon talent for asking questions”. His account describes the day to day routine, gives accounts of the different wards, and gives suggestions for how the hospital could be improved.
What follows is the full article detailing the writers experience as a patient. While the article is quite long, it is well worth a read. The original article can be found on Trove.
jolly and cheerful as our headmistress is she will stand no disobedience
I have been unable to find anything in the management which I think will not compare favourably with any similar institution I have seen or heard of
Compiled by Jonathan Hull, CALHN Health Museum