Mining and Medicine: The Case of Waratah Hospital, Tasmania, Part 3, 1921-1954

The third section of the published case load of the doctors of the Waratah Hospital, Tasmania is described with emphasis firstly on the accidents occurring in the mines, and the subsequent business and community support of the victims over the final thirty-three year period in the life of the tin mine. Secondly the incidence and severity of infectious diseases shortly before antibiotics and vaccine prevention is portrayed with lessons for today where infectious diseases have become the optional choice of the anti-vaccination advocates. Thirdly the problems of clinical medicine in an isolated community with an enormous workload, and of staffing the hospital run throughout the paper.