For over 120 years, the St George area has provided leading healthcare to the local community and wider Sydney population.
The latest exhibition at Hurstville Museum & Gallery reveals historic images to tell the story of how the St George community both supported, and was supported, by the growth of the healthcare industry in the area.
In Sickness & In Health explores the evolution of St George Hospital, from its humble beginnings as a small cottage hospital in 1894, into a world-class teaching hospital.
The exhibition also looks at private hospitals, which were significant healthcare providers in the early 1900s. However, as healthcare changed throughout the 20th century, so did the infrastructure required, which resulted in outreach services becoming more accessible.
The baby health clinic initiative was a driving force behind lowering infant mortality rates and improving infant care. Baby health clinics boomed in the first half of the 20th century and have remained popular to this day. Many clinics still offer a range of community health services.
Other themes highlighted in the exhibition include home nursing and pharmacies.
In Sickness & In Health is exhibited within Snapshot Gallery, which forms a part of Hurstville Museum & Gallery. Snapshot Gallery showcases a curated selection of photographs from the Georges River Libraries Local Studies collection, which contains over 10,000 photographs.
In Sickness & In Health is on display now at Hurstville Museum & Gallery until 11 July 2021.
