To the Director-General Methodist Missions – Northern Territory The Methodist Overseas Missionary Society conducts four aboriginal missions and one half-caste settlement in the northern coastal homeland. The four native stations are maintained at a very low standard viewed from any aspect other than the comfort of the staff. The half caste settlement on the other […]
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Spanish Influenza invades Sydney – 1919 [EN1/5]
I remember on an autumn evening in 1919, the wind in chilling gusts blowing ripples of rain across the gloomy street. The depressing scene seemed to accord with the mood of passers-by whose eyes reflected sorrow apprehension. Spanish Influenza was epidemic in the city and in the public view, had achieved the proportions of a […]
Oral History Interview of Dr C.E. Cook [EN1/10]
by Harry Giese March-May 1981 Series No. NTRS 226, TS 179 This record of interviews is based on the verbatim transcript, amended by Dr Cook’s corrections, deletions and supplements. Dr Cook found the OH process difficult andhe was not pleased with the initial result. While he made copious notes on the original transcript, he did […]
Retrospect – 50 Years since the 1924 Leprosy Survey [EN2/7]
DR. CECIL E.A. COOK. C.B.E., M.D., D.P.H., D.T.M & H. Formerly Commissioner of Public Health, Western Australia (1946-1949) A talk to the Association of State Medical Officers, July 8, 1974: First let me thank you for affording me the opportunity to join you this evening in your farewell to Bill Davidson with whom it has […]
Leprosy Scourge Let Loose
In the Western Australian Truth, THE PEOPLE’S PAPER Saturday July 5, 1924 Panic Conditions in Derby Lepers Mingling With Townsfolk and Spreading the Disease From the far North comes a cry which so far seems to have failed to impress itself upon metropolitan ears. Things seem to be in a parlous state at Derby and […]
A letter to the West Kimberly Roads Board [EN2/14]
Roebourne W.A. August 1, 1924 Secretary, West Kimberley Roads Board Derby Dear Sir, To say that I am amazed at the contents of your letter dated July 25th 1924, is to understate the truth. May I call your attention to the exact phrasing of my letter – which I may state I had intended to […]
Leprosy Research Survey Route 1924
Through North-West Western Australia, April-August 1924 Stage 1: Derby to Halls Creek, via Fitzroy River visiting “Yeeda”, “Lower Liveringa”, “Udialla”, “Mt. Anderson”, “Upper Liveringa”, “Lulinga”, “Myroddah”, “Mt. Wynne”, “Noonkenbah”, “Quambon”, “Jubilee”, “Brooking Springs”, “Fitzroy Crossing”, “Gogo”, “Fossil Downs”, “Louisa Downs”, Margaret River”, “Lamboo”, “Moola Bulla”. Stage 2: Halls Creek to Wyndham, via Orde River visiting […]
Report on the proposed establishment of a Joint Lazaret at Darwin [EN2/25]
Cecil E. Cook M.B. Ch.M. D.T.M & H Wandsworth Scholar June 1925 Leprosy has been recorded in the Northern Territory since 1892, first in Chinese, and later in Aborigines from different localities. Until 1916 the practice appears to have been temporarily to isolate the former on improvised Quarantine grounds pending deportation to China, and to […]
Personal Letter to Jessie [EN2/30]
N.B. Don’t forget to get on the Electoral Roll Darwin 4/10/1925 My Darling Only one letter because up to the time I went into hospital – 23rd – I had not time or opportunity for writing, being on the road all the time but I will make this such a long one. After we left […]
Employment application 1926 [EN2/42]
P.O. Box 430, Townsville. 15/11/26 Secretary, Dept. of Home and Territories, Spring St Melbourne Dear Sir, I hereby submit my application for appointment to the position of Chief Medical Officer and Chief Protector of Aborigines, North Australia. I am 29 years of age, a graduate of Sydney University (M.B. Ch.M.) of over six years standing. […]
Personal Reference for the Minister – 1930 File No. 29/1118
(As requested by the Hon. A. Blakeley, Minister for Home Affairs) CECIL EVELYN COOK: Born September 23rd, 1897. Graduated: Bachelor of Medicine, Master of Surgery, University of Sydney, 1920 Resident Medical Officer, Brisbane Hospital. Medical Superintendent, Hughenden Hospital, Q. Medical Superintendent, Longreach Hospital, Q. Passed with Distinction, Examination in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene of London […]
Disabilities of the 1926 Health and Medical Service System – and complicating factors affecting Health Administration in the Northern Territory
Disabilities of the 1926 System: For the Patient: (a) At this time in Darwin, communication with the southern States was limited to one steamer a month. This steamer took about a fortnight between Darwin and Sydney. There being no possibility of successfully conducting a major operation of an advanced nature in Darwin, patients requiring such […]
Reflections on a proposed Native State
One approaches the proposal with a scepticism born of the conviction that it will be revealed as the panacea of the visionary unacquainted with the problems involved. It is reassuring therefore, to find that its operation would not be impaired by its confinement to the myall native and the total exclusion of the already half […]
Problems of Medical Service in Northern Australia
PRELIMINARY During the past seven years my duties have brought the problems of Medical Service in Northern Australia under my immediate observation. Throughout that period I have been impressed with the urgent necessity of improving existing conditions both in respect of the service rendered and the cost of providing it. As the field I have […]
History of Health Administration: Northern Territory [EN 3/28]
1864 Dr. F.E. Goldsmith appointed Colonial Surgeon and Protector of Aboriginals to accompany Finniss’ Expedition to Escape Cliffs. As Colonial Surgeon his duties included the provision of medical and surgical attention without charge to officers and men of the expedition, the supervision of sanitation, the prevention of the introduction of disease from overseas, the control […]
Evidence to the N. S. W. Joint Committee on Hospitals, 1940
Given by Dr. C.E. Cook, 12th September 1939 Before proceeding to detail the measures taken to provide adequate medical service for the Northern Territory, it is desirable to describe the conditions existing in the Territory in 1926, so that the factors contributing to the problem facing the Commonwealth may be made apparent and the somewhat […]
The Requirements of Health Administration in North Australia – 1929 [EN 3/29)
Report to the Federal Health Council A combination of diverse factors complicates health administration and the provision of medical services in Northern Australia. In the Southern States, the functions of health administration are mainly concerned with the sanitation of a white community of relatively high density living in an environment not greatly dissimilar in climatic […]
Re the Australian Inland Mission Frontier Medical Service [EN 3/44]
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CUSTOMS HOUSE, SYDNEY 31st JULY 1930 Dear Dr. Cumpston, In reply to your letter of the 23rd instance asking for my comments upon the Frontier Medical Service proposal of the Australian Inland Mission, I submit her a few reflections on the matter which I hope may be of some […]
Report on deaths at Hermannsburg Mission – 1929 [EN 3/45]
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (CENTRAL AUSTRALIA) OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT RESIDENT, ALICE SPRINGS, 2nd September, 1929 His Honour, The Government Resident, ALICE SPRINGS Your Honour, I have to report that, acting under instructions received by telegraph from the Minister through His Honour the Government Resident, Darwin, I visited the Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission on Friday and Saturday, […]
The appointment of a Medical Officer at Burketown
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CUSTOMS HOUSE, SYDNEY 14th August 1930 Dear Sir, Adverting to your letter of 23rd July relative to the suggestion that the Commonwealth should assist in the appointment of a Medical Officer at Burketown, Northern Queensland, I submit herewith a possible solution of the difficulty. As a preliminary I suggest […]
The Finniss Expedition of 1864 to Escape Cliffs [EN 4/1]
– THE PROTECTOR’S ROLE: A History compiled by Dr C.E. Cook The earliest attempts to colonise the northern east of Australia were made by the British Government, military and convict settlements being established successively at Fort Dundas on Ansley Strait (1824-25) at Raffles Bay (1827-29) and at Port Essington (1838-49). The sites selected were unproductive […]