AWM41 996 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Catherine E Lethbridge - Part 1

Butler Colln.  6/87
WAR [[?]] 1914-18
AMW41   [6/20] [[?]]
AWM 41
AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES 
ACCESS STATUS   
SISTER CATHERINE E. LETHBRIDGE
A.W.M.
LIBRARY
Classⁿ N^o. 373.2
[[?]]
[[?]]
[[?]] 
[996]

The Official War histories of the Commonwealth 
Government (Dr C. E. W. Bean), after his study of 
the  collection of private war records preserved in the Australian 
War Memorial Library, wrote: 
"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most  
valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were  
not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be  
regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they  
are so.  The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record  
accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to  
indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents  
told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.  
Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with  
vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second  
or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in  
important details. A certain number also have been written up 
or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes  
made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his  
experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is  
and what is not likely to be historically accurate". 
 

(1) 
I was attached to the A.N. & M.E. Forces 
from Sep. 26^th 1918 till October 3^rd 1919.  
Our nursing staff consisted of a Matron 
& 3 sisters, but during 3 months of 
my term of service there, we had only 
two sisters.  Our hours on duty were 
made as light as possible, on account 
of the very trying climate.  Usually 
there was only one sister on duty at 
a time, & whenever possible we 
worked the following hours.   
7 a.m. till 2 p.m following day 
2 p.m. till 9 p.m following on that 
a day off duty.  Naturally, however 
there were very many times, when it 
was impossible to keep  to this routine, 
one reason being it didn't allow 
for night duty.  At ordinary times 
an A.M.C. orderly took charge at 
night, but in the case of any patient 
being seriously ill, or any special

(2) 
treatment ordered, a sister, of course 
was in charge.  There being no 
civilian hospital we quite often had 
patients outside the military, including 
German women, & sometimes the wife 
of one of our officers, when it would 
be necessary to have a sister on duty 
day & night.  During my term of 
service should say about 12 was our 
average number of patients, malaria 
being the chief cause of illness in 
the military; the majority of patients 
responded very quickly to the treatment 
of quinine, which was usually 
given in 10gr doses 4 hrly for a 
fortnight in some cases intramuscular 
injections of quinine were also given.  
On one occasion when intravenous quinine 
was given to patient with very high 
temperature, he had a rigor, & raised 
a temp. of 107.4, pulse quite uncountable 
but he recovered.

(3)
We had a few cases of amoebic dysentery 
but very few patients from Rabaul 
with it, most of them being sent 
in from  out stations.

There was very little in the way of 
surgical work, the M.O's naturally 
being reluctant to operate in such 
an unfavourable climate, except in 
cases of emergency.

At the time I left Rabaul, there was 
a German woman in hospital, who had 
lived in the islands for 14 years, the 
only break being a short visit to 
Australia 11 years previously.  Her 
general health was very bad, & on 
treatment with thymol, she was found 
to have ankylostomiasis.  This was 
the only patient I had seen with 
ankylostomiasis in our hospital, but 
believe it was fairly common in the 
native hospital.

(4)
Most of the sisters were fortunate in 
regard to their health, but we had 
to take all necessary precautions, 
always slept under mosquitoe nets, & 
never went anywhere after sun down, 
were there was liklihood of encountering 
anopheles.  (Namanula hill where the 
hospital is situated is supposed to be 
free of them).  We were advised not to 
take cold baths, & to avoid being out 
in rain, or anything likely to cause a 
chill.  The men in the military had 
to attend quinine parade, & were given 
10 grs . quinine 4 times a week.  I 
never heard of any fixed rule for the 
sisters to take quinine as a prophylactic 
& took only a few doses myself for 
that purpose, as found it had such a 
bad effect on me, that very soon 
dropped it.
Our drinking water was also always boiled & 
filtered.

(5)
After six months service Sister Maclean 
& myself were unlucky enough to get 
a heavy infection of sub tertian 
malaria; the former was off duty 
about 10 days, & myself about 3 weeks 
with it.  I was treated - 7 1/2 grs. 
quinine 4 hrly by mouth & 7 1/2 grs 
twice a day (intramuscular inj.) for 
six days.  Although I never had 
enough another attack at Rabaul, 
was never really well during my 
remaining six months there.  Have 
had several attacks since my 
return to Australia, & am still 
suffering from the effects of it.

(6)
The military hospital at Rabaul, is situated 
at Namanula Hill, about a mile from 
the main street.  Next to Government 
House, it is in one of the pick positions.  
It was built by the Germans, & two 
German sisters were in charge there, 
when taken over by Matron Gibbon 
in 1915.  Most of our furniture & 
equipment was German made, there 
were only double beds or else stretchers 
the former being inconvenient; when 
it came to nursing a serious case.  
The cupboards were fastened back 
to the walls, on account of the 
severe earthquakes we had at times.  
The supply of surgical instruments etc. 
was  fairly good, a good number of them 
being there in German time.  
Our quarters were comfortable, each had 
a bedroom to oneself, but we had to 
make the verandahs our general living 
room, where we had our meals etc.

(7)
Our quarters, the hospital & M.O.'s
quarters, were all under one roof, the 
building being in a kind of semi 
circle; it was a great convenience 
to us, especially in the wet season.  
The absence of electric light was a 
drawback; the kerosene rochester
lamps, had a habit of blowing out 
very often, as there were very strong 
winds at times, especially during 
the S.E. season, so hurricane lamps 
were our great standby.  At G. H. 
there is an electric plant, & from that 
our xray x ray room was worked.  Electric 
light was also laid on in the 
operating theatre, & was supposed to 
be turned on from the G. H. plant 
in the case of an immediate operation 
at night but we never had an
occasion to use it, during my time.

(8)
I have heard the climate of Rabaul 
described as consisting of two seasons, 
the hot season, & the d-- hot- 
season! I conclude the latter is the 
A.[[?]].P. or wet season.  From December 
till April there was a very big 
rainfall, 60 inches falling during the 
first 69 days of 1919.  When not 
actually raining the atmosphere was 
extremely oppressive, & one  perspired 
profusely with the slightest exertion.  
Fortunately the nights were comparatively 
cool at Namanula.  I always slept 
with a single blanket over me, but 
never required more.  Rabaul is only 
4 1/2 degrees from the Equator, & it 
is never anything approaching cold there 
day or night, all the year round, 
which I think is one of the most 
trying characteristics of the climate.