We are pleased to welcome Emeritus Professor Robert Goldney AO as a guest contributor to the blog. Professor Goldney has had a long association with mental health and psychiatry in South Australia. He was Head of the Discipline of Psychiatry at the University of Adelaide and Professor and Medical Director of the Adelaide Clinic. He […]
Sometimes intriguing museum objects often raise more questions than they answer. One such object in the CALHN Health Museum collection is a large decorative wall plaque. It depicts Pericles speaking to the people of Athens in 431 BC. Carved on the plaque is “Pericles Speaks”. On the back of the plaque is stamped: Made in […]
National Diabetes Week runs from 12th until 18th July across the country. This years theme is “Living Out Loud” and encourages people living with the condition and their families to share their wishes for better community understanding. Across CALHN Sites there are information displays set up encouraging staff, patients, carers and the public to share […]
The CALHN Health Museum would like to acknowledge the work and dedication of volunteers. Volunteers play a fundamental role in our community. Be it fundraising, emotional support, or helping out a sports team. Throughout National Volunteers Week they are celebrated for their contributions to the community. National Volunteers Week is celebrated nationally acknowledging the work […]
Here at the CALHN Health Museum we love receiving new donations. My recent favourite acquisition is a fake eyeball. Selecting an item to accession can depend on a great deal of things, ranging from time availability, size or type, and sometimes – what takes your fancy first. My pick this time was a small tin. […]
Anzac Day is a time of remembrance of those service men and women who fought for their country. At a time when they were needed many every day Australians answered the call to enlist and left their families to fight. Many nurses and doctors who worked across CALHN institutions answered the call too. Giving up […]
We all hate getting them in the post box, and they almost always end up going straight into the rubbish bin (if they’re not left hanging on the fridge for months, saved for later use – only to expire before you ever get around to using them). Despite this, brochures remain an important medium for […]
“It’s Faulding’s, it’s pure” There are thousands of pharmaceutical brands on the market today. One company began right here in Adelaide. Faulding’s & Co began in 1845 and continues 181 years later. Many Faulding’s & Co products can be found in the CALHN Health Museum collection. Faulding’s have played an integral part in medical history […]
Here at the CALHN Health Museum we always look forward to receiving new donations from members of the community. But it is even more special when the donated item is part of global medical history. The museum catalogue has a range of paraphernalia relating to the creation, development and use of penicillin. This new acquisition […]
You never know what surprises await inside donated items about to be added into a collection. One of these being a letter found inside a well-used copy of Handbook for Mental Nurses by Medico-Psychological Association. This seventh edition, released between 1923 and 1935, served as a “bible” for nurses training in mental health institutions, including […]
Merry Christmas from CALHN Health Museum – 2025 After a year full of uncertainty we look forward to celebrating the festive season. Although our decorations have been scaled back there is still so much to celebrate. This year’s festivities began with decorating the Museum. Although we did not enter the annual CALHN Christmas Decorating Competition, […]
As the year draws to an end, the volunteers and staff at the CALHN Health Museum conclude yet another productive and busy chapter. In 2025, the museum welcomed 5 new volunteers: Oliver, Karen, Yasamin, Edith and Billy. And welcomed back two, Chris and Delia. The year began on a slightly sombre note with the passing […]
Nurses’ badges have changed dramatically over the years—evolving from ornate gold-and-enamel pins to the simple plastic identification cards used today. It was common place to see nurses in hospitals wearing brass and enamel badges, not something you see much in modern hospitals today. Badges were used to fasten stiffly starched detachable collars to their uniforms, […]
As part of a recent storage management redevelopment here at the CALHN Health Museum, I stumbled upon two very fascinating books. The first being The Lady’s Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment was written by Dr E. H. Ruddock and published in 1882 by the Homeopathic Publishing Company, London. And the second, The Ladies’ Handbook of Home […]
Nurses Badges Through the Years – Royal Adelaide Hospital showcases the evolution of nursing staff badges. Staff in hospitals today are often seen wearing modern identification cards. Often showing their name and photograph. However in the 1920s it was common to see all nurses wearing a brass or metal hospital badge. Their badges identified the […]