Blog

Celebrating Allied Health Professions Day

October the 14th is International Allied Health Professions Day. To help celebrate International Allied Health Professions Day, below are five items from the CALHN Health Museum collection that relate to some of these professions. The Allied Health Professions are made up of health professionals that are not part of the medical, nursing or dental professions. […]

Skeleton in the Closet

Do you have a skeleton in the closet? We do! Meet our fine friend George. George is a little bit shy, so let us introduce him. In days gone by, nursing education was conducted in the hospital rather than a tertiary institution. The former Royal Adelaide Hospital trained nurses in theory and practice for over […]

A Colourful History

A huge shout out to Kelly Bonito from A Colourful History for bringing the “Adelaide Hospital Infectious Diseases Block” alive. In Kelly’s words “Bringing the world of the old to life by colourising old photos”. Please go and check out her wonderful Facebook page, where beautiful black and white photographs are revitalised with colour! The […]

Gopher!

In 2020 the CALHN Health Museum received an interesting piece of South Australian history. A Gopher! The mobility scooter was made by Grant Telfer, who is perhaps best known as the creator of the iconic Monash playground in the Riverland. Telfer was the first to use the gopher name in association with mobility scooters with […]

We Remember – Queen Elizabeth II

As we prepare to say a final farewell to our monarch, we share with you some of our memories of her early visits to South Australia. The Adelaide Hospital was granted its “Royal” prefix in 1939 by His Majesty the King, George VI. In 1954 his daughter and successor, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II paid […]

Oh, the Delphiniums at Adelaide Hospital!

At the beginning of the twentieth Century, the gardens of the Adelaide Hospital (North Terrace) were one of its most outstanding features. The attractive gardens occupied the frontage of North Terrace, however they slowly disappeared as the various new buildings were erected. t There was a wide expanse of well-kept lawns with flower beds and […]

History Mystery. Can you solve our Coat of Arms conundrum?

The origin and meaning of Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre’s Coat of Arms has baffled us for some time. Historical Background Facing Hampstead Road, our heritage listed building has proudly displayed the Coat of Arms since the hospital was opened in 1932 as the Metropolitan Infectious Diseases Hospital, Northfield. At that time, the hospital was controlled by […]

The Ghostly Guardian – The Grey Nurse

Ghost stories are common within the hospital setting. In fact the Grey Nurse, the resident spectre of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) site, shares her name and similar characteristics with many hospital ghosts around the world. In most stories, the Grey Nurse is a benevolent force, providing assistance to patients and helping out the […]

Gone But Not Forgotten!

As the sun set on the official final day of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital, an eerie silence filled the corridors of a once bustling metropolitan hospital. From the cradle to the grave, with much in between, the hospital played a pivotal role in the lives of many patients, workers, and visitors, from its opening […]

World Hepatitis Day 2022

July 28 is World Hepatitis Day and ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’ is the Australian 2022 theme. This recognizes that in the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic, Australians can’t wait to act on eliminating hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. It can be brought on by alcohol, drugs, viruses and other toxins. Viral hepatitis refers to […]

Reflections – Glass in Medicine

On display at the South Australian Parliament Research Library from the 19th July 2022. Explores the many ways that glass is used in the hospital setting. Objects list: Fauldings Dispensing bottle of ‘Faulding’s Syrupus Simplex’ Faulding Medicinal Castor Oil Faulding ‘Emu Brand’ Eucalyptus Oil Faulding ‘Emu Brand’ Eucalyptus Oil Faulding Castor Oil Faulding’s Spirit of […]

Pharmaceutical Nostalgia

Recently the CALHN Health Museum received a large donation of pharmacy related items from Judy Rice. Judy, a former pharmacist, is an avid collector of pharmacy related items and we received many amazing items into our collection. However, one particular item stood out to me on more of a personal level, bringing back a wave […]

New Display Coming Soon!

Our display “Reflections” showcases how glass has played an important part in the development of medicine. Features are a late 19th century ruby glass dental cuspidor, a pair of blood filters, and prosthetic eyes, among many other diverse objects.  ‘Reflections’ show glass as not just beautiful but practical as well. Watch our website for upcoming […]