Curator’s introduction – Edition 82

Charla amongst the archivesWelcome to the 82nd edition of our newsletter. Or I could say, welcome to the first edition of The Sphygmograph: Journal of the Marks-Hirschfeld Museum of Medical History! You will have noticed that the newsletter has a new masthead, thanks to the votes of our readers. I like the new name—it tips a hat to the vintage of our collection, it charts a pulse as we chart history, and it has a part to play in lie detection, thus keeping us to the truth. A stretch? Perhaps. But I still think it’s a great choice.

In our feature article, John Hains recounts the case of a nine-month-old girl brought to the Children’s Hospital in the mid-1960s with severely laboured breathing. The small patient rapidly deteriorated, and John steps us through the remarkable lengths taken to treat her. This wonderful story is a testament to the skill, dedication, and innovation of Queensland’s medical practitioners.

This edition welcomes the Museum’s newest volunteer Dr Gertrude Behan, who introduces herself in her own kenspeckle style and we profile the fabulous Museum of Dentistry (MoD) established by the ADAQ. The Sphygmograph will run a series of stories from the MoD over the next few editions so teeth aficionados, stay tuned.

Until then keep warm, keep well, and keep in touch.

Charla

 


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