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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
This week marks the beginning of South Australia’s History Festival. The festival runs through the whole month of May, with this year’s theme being ‘decisions’. The CALHN Health Museum will be offering a range of events throughout the month, scattered over its multiple sites. Tour – Exploring the Infectious Diseases Hospital Explore Hampstead Rehabilitation Centres […]
Within the cracked walls of the decaying Metropolitan Infectious Diseases Hospital’s old kitchen, a unique piece of medical equipment and Australian history stands – the whole body monitor scanner. The workers at the atomic weapon testing range, Maralinga, built the whole body monitor scanner. It is one of only two in the southern hemisphere (the […]
With Saint Patricks Day celebrations rife this week, thoughts of shamrocks, leprechauns and all things green come to mind. But beyond the Emerald Isle’s national day, it’s colour of pride is carefully preserved in the museums collection. To be a part of the festivities, the CALHN Health Museum has curated a selection of items bearing […]
February 21st 2025 marks 60 years since the first kidney transplant was performed in Australia. This achievement is made all the more significant by the fact that it took place at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) in Woodville. The recipient was Pasquale (Peter) Tirmacco, a 33 year old husband and father of three, who was […]
Compare and contrast 4 annual reports from different decades of the Parkside Lunatic Asylum In 1846, South Australia opened its first mental health institution, the Public Colonial Lunatic Asylum near Conyngham Street, Glenside. The establishment resulted from public pressure rather than professional advice. Before this, authorities housed patients at the Adelaide Gaol in the Debtors […]
This year marks half a decade since the first notified case of Covid-19 in Australia. The first confirmed case was announced on January 25th 2020. From then, case numbers surged leading to lockdowns in Australia and worldwide. Here in Adelaide, the first case was announced on February 2nd 2020. It was in March when things […]
As we prepare to welcome in 2025 lets look back at what has happened in the CALHN Health Museum and CALHN in 2024. January We farewelled a long serving staff member Jonathan Hull who went onto work at the Holdfast Bay Council. Jonathan had been with us for several years and was a much admired […]
Take a look at how the CALHN Health Museum celebrates Christmas The Christmas festivities at the Health Museum this year began with the installation of our submission for the annual CALHN-wide Christmas decoration competition. It was all hands on deck with both volunteers and staff part of the planning and installation process. Unfortunately, we missed […]
This week’s post offers an intimate, firsthand glimpse into the lives of nurses during WWII, as captured through the sketches of Lorna Moore. Lorna (Liz) Moore, née Woolcock, was born in Unley, Adelaide, and pursued her studies at the South Australian School of Art. A talented freelance commercial artist, she moved to London in late […]