Mallala Private Hospital

Fast Facts

Type of organisation:
Also known as:	First Hospital
Street number:	35
Street name:	Aerodrome
Street suffix:	Road
Town or locality:	Mallala
Date established:	"{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. 1941
Ceased operation:	"{{{Date approximate2}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. "{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value. 1943
Established by:	Lynda Marshman
Business or purpose:	Medical services

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• "{{{Date approximate2}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value.
• "{{{Date approximate}}}" is not recognized as a Boolean (true/false) value.

World War II had commenced. Ambulances were few, and the sick, too sick to be moved, were often nursed in their homes by private nurses.

One young sister, Lynda Hill, was on duty for several of these cases. She later married a local farmer, Max Marshman, and they lived in the house next door to the doctor.

This young sister, now a newlywed, did not wish to leave her home and her husband to continue private nursing, so when Mr Frank Farrelly contracted pneumonia, the patient was brought to the nurse.

And so the Mallala Private Hospital commenced at 35 Owen (Aerodrome) Road in 1941.

Over 120 patients were admitted to this hospital and 27 babies born, many of them Air Force babes, whose fathers were stationed at Mallala Aerodrome one mile from the township.

These men resided with their wives anywhere in the district they could find accommodation.

Local midwives were also relied upon, and assisted with many births in the district.

A story is told that one day when Dr Boucaut was quietly milking his cow he was pushed off the milking stool by Coral Peters. 'Quick!' said Coral (who was nursing at the hospital). 'Get to the hospital! A baby is coming, I'll finish the cow'. Nurse Peters arrived back at the hospital in time for the birth with the cow milked.

Unfortunately this first hospital was closed in 1943, due to difficulties in finding staff.

It would be some years before Mallala was again served by a Community Hospital.

References

• Life around the Light: A history of the Mallala District Council area, compiled by Two Wells, Mallala and District History Book Committee, Community Development Board of the Council District of Mallala, [Mallala, S. Aust.], 1985.