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Cambridge man marks 125th anniversary - with an operation
72-year-old Cambridge man marks 125th anniversary - with an operation
A 72-year-old Cambridge man called John made
history today when he had a two and a half hour laparoscopic
appendectomy at Waikato Hospital starting on the stroke of
midnight.
Today is the 125th anniversary of the first ever operation at Waikato Hospital in 1887.
The Cambridge man is stable in a ward and has been presented with a copy of the recently published Village on the Hill history book about the hospital and a certificate to mark the occasion.
The first patient was operated on by
candle-light, for a gun-shot injury.
Early on the morning of 17 May 1887, James J. Daley of Alexandra (now Pirongia) had his left hand shattered by the barrel of a gun, a relic of the Waikato wars.
Daley's brother drove his brother by buggy to Te Awamutu where a doctor advised amputation at the wrist.
They decided to go to the new hospital in Hamilton instead. They caught the train from Te Awamutu and arrived in Hamilton about 5pm and met with the medical officer Dr George Geils Kenny at the Commercial Hotel.
Dr Kenny obtained some chloroform and enlisted Dr Wilfred Murch as his anaesthetist and assistant. He borrowed candles from the Commercial Hotel and took the hotel publican and George Edgecumbe, the proprietor of the Waikato Times, to be the candle holders in a makeshift theatre in the hospital.
Dr Kenny amputated Daley’s thumb and two fingers, repaired the hand and Daley’s brother stayed to look after him as there were no nurses appointed at the hospital yet.
He recovered well and 50 years later the Pirongia man was presented with a silver teapot in recognition of the event.
Mr Edgecumbe was unimpressed with what he saw of Daley's operation and launched a broadside at the hospital board in the Waikato Times.
A Grand Round at Waikato Hospital lunchtime today will discuss:
What was it
like then – and what would we do today ?
Dr Tom
Watson
Chief Medical Officer
“Anaesthesia in
the 1880s”
Plastic Surgical
Department
“What would we do today?”
From 5 – 7.30pm a formal celebration under the auspices of the Waikato Health Memorabilia Trust will be held at the Bryant Education Centre. This will include a presentation on “Colonial Surgery” by Professor Keith Jeffery.
Other celebrations and activities of interest:
Wintec and Waikato DHB recently collaborated on the Village on the Hill coffee table book in celebration of the milestone. Additional copies are available for $10 - a reduced rate - and make superb gifts - contact Kate Blackie in Visual Communications, Waikato Hospital 07 839 8899.
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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