History – Medical at Mangawhai

One of the earliest challenges that faced new settlers in Mangawhai was accessing medical care when they needed it, whether it be for illness, after an accident or with childbirth. Medical officers tended to turnover on a regular basis and the medical fraternity nationwide was limited.

In 1862, surgeon Dr Clarence Hooper arrived in Mangawhai. It was a real benefit to have a surgeon available for settlers who were prone to accidents involving axes and heavy equipment needed to break in the land. But by 1864, Dr Bell was doing the rounds, covering not only Mangawhai but Oruawharo, Kaiwaka and Te Arai as well. Then there is a five-year gap where there is no record of any medical officer being in the district, with settlers presumably looking after themselves.

In 1870, Dr F.G. Dalton had arrived but was gone by 1874 when Dr Alder Fisher, physician and surgeon, took his place. The community had hoped to retain his services in the district by creating a Medical Club, but this doesn’t appear to have survived for long. The fee for a family was £1 per annum, with five shillings additional for every visit, which included medicines. The fee for a single person was 1per annum and three shillings per visit, including medicines.

In April 1875, Dr Agassi agreed to visit a specified part of the settlement, once a month, weather permitting. But by August, Dr Damon had replaced Dr Agassi.

Dr Dalton returned in 1876 and was chief vaccinator for the Mangawhai District and Albertland. In 1887, Dr Murray Moore was here followed by Doctor Girdler and then Dr Mountain was the resident doctor by 1894.

So, it seems that medical attention was spasmodic at best and sometimes not available at all. People just had to do the best they could and there is one newspaper account of a boy stitching up his brother’s foot after an accident with an axe. Such was the life of those who came to live in ‘the bush’. Some common illnesses suffered by children in the days of early settlement, and before penicillin arrived, included earache, whooping cough, measles, scarlet fever, chicken pox, diphtheria, mumps, colic and stomach upsets.

Midwifery was practiced mainly by women, whether qualified or not. At other times, pregnant women had to ‘go it alone’ simply because there was just no-one there to help. From the 1880s, Mrs Elizabeth Hogan attended many local births and was truly loved by all she served. It was said she only ever needed her scissors, string and a cake of soap, and knew no loss of life.