Rum hospital

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Doctor in chains

All three candidates for the title of Australia's first doctor were convicted felons (осуждённые преступники). John Irving, transported for larceny (воровство), became assistant to the naval surgeons (хирурги) of the First Fleet. He was the first convict to be freed, in 1790, and did fine work at the General Hospital until he died five years later.

William Redfern, transported in 1801 for taking part in a naval mutiny (мятеж), was the first to practice privately. His skills soon gained him a pardon (помилование) and on 1 September 1808 he was granted Australia's first medical certificate. Redfern did much to improve hygiene in the colony, and he also fought successfully for full civil and legal rights for former convicts.

Australia's first, full-time, general practitioner was William Bland, who had been transported for killing an opponent in a duel. He set up practice when he was pardoned (помилован) in 1815.

Rum hospital

Among the first temporary shelters built on the shores of Sydney Cove within days of the First Fleet's arrival in January 1788 were hospital tents. Although First Fleeters had remained remarkably healthy throughout the voyage, the tents were soon filled with people suffering from scurvy (цынга) and dysentery.

In 1811, in exchange for the right to import 45 000 gallons of 'rum' (which meant all kinds of spirits), three entrepreneurs – Garnham Blaxcell, Alexander Riley and D’arcy Wentworth (the Principal Surgeon) – contracted (подрядились) to build a three-block hospital in Sydney. The building was completed in April 1816, but for its first three years the hospital had no inside lavatories and often patients could be seen crawling (ползти) to outside privies (туалет).

The 'Rum Hospital' was too big for the colony, and so in 1829 its north wing became Parliament House. The central building was torn down (снесён) in 1879 to make way for the present Sydney Hospital and the south wing, used as a mint (монетный двор) from 1855 to 1926, is now a museum.