I have the service papers of Frank Bartlett, 12th Hampshires who was transferred from 43rd Hospital, Salonika to Imtarfa Hospital, Malta in October 1916 with Dysentery.
Can anyone give me any more information about this hospital? What was the treatment for dysentery in 1916?
Many thanks
Clare
Full Version: Imtarfa Hospital, Malta
A page on the excellent MALTA FAMILY HISTORY site:
http://website.lineone.net/~stephaniebidmead/eyewitness.htm
Kath.
http://website.lineone.net/~stephaniebidmead/eyewitness.htm
Kath.
Thanks Kath
I'm studying this now.
Clare
I'm studying this now.
Clare
Hello Clare,
The extract on the link provided by Kath is from Reverend Albert G. Mackinnon's book MALTA : THE NURSE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1916.
A small 50 bed hospital was built at Mtarfa in the St. David's Barracks area towards the end of the 19th century. This was set aside for the needs of the soldier's dependents, as the soldiers themselves were treated in military hospitals closer to the harbour area.
In 1912, it was proposed to construct a new, larger, hospital at Mtarfa to cater for all military requirements. The foundation stone was laid in 1915 by the Governor, General, Sir Leslie Rundle.
At the time of the Gallipoli Campaign, the Governor was Field Marshal Lord Metheun - of Boer War fame. He was the person who instructed the extension of all existing hospital facilities (and the adaption of other buildings) in preparation for the expected casualties.
The Hospital was officially inaugurated in June 1920 and during the Second World War was staffed by the 90th Britsh General Hospital and was the main military hospital throughout the conflict. It also had subterranean quarters and air-raid shelters.
After the war, it became known as the David Bruce Military Hospital in honour of an Australian-born surgeon of Scots parentage.
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Sir David Bruce (1855-1931)
Sir David Bruce was born in Australia while his Scots father was installing a crushing machine at Sandhurst in the Australian goldfields. The family returned to Scotland when David was five and his education took place in Scotland, firstly at Stirling High School and then, after a stab at a career in industry, at the University of Edinburgh. He entered the university with the intention of reading zoology but changed to medicine. He had a brief career in private practice in Reigate where he met and married his wife. She acted as his technical assistant and proved an accomplished artist who illustrated the records of his discoveries. She also poured oil on troubled waters when her husband upset those around him with his brusque manner - a frequent occurrence. In 1883, soon after his marriage, David Bruce joined the Army Medical Service and the following year was sent to Malta on military duty. He found the hospitals full of patients suffering from a mysterious complaint which sometimes resembled typhoid fever and sometimes malaria and which was known as Malta or undulant fever. Within two years Bruce had discovered its cause, Micrococcus melitensis now known as Brucella spp. Bruce chaired the Malta Fever Commission which sat from 1904-1906 and traced the reservoir of infection to the Maltese goat.
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In the mid-1980s, after the British forces had left the island, the old hospital was converted for use as a Secondary School for boys (called the Sir Temi Zammit School) and is still in use as such today. The old subterranean quarters, etc. are now in use as a mushroom farm, while the adjoining chapel of St Oswald now caters for the residents of the area.
I hope the above proves useful.
Regards
Wayne
The extract on the link provided by Kath is from Reverend Albert G. Mackinnon's book MALTA : THE NURSE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1916.
A small 50 bed hospital was built at Mtarfa in the St. David's Barracks area towards the end of the 19th century. This was set aside for the needs of the soldier's dependents, as the soldiers themselves were treated in military hospitals closer to the harbour area.
In 1912, it was proposed to construct a new, larger, hospital at Mtarfa to cater for all military requirements. The foundation stone was laid in 1915 by the Governor, General, Sir Leslie Rundle.
At the time of the Gallipoli Campaign, the Governor was Field Marshal Lord Metheun - of Boer War fame. He was the person who instructed the extension of all existing hospital facilities (and the adaption of other buildings) in preparation for the expected casualties.
The Hospital was officially inaugurated in June 1920 and during the Second World War was staffed by the 90th Britsh General Hospital and was the main military hospital throughout the conflict. It also had subterranean quarters and air-raid shelters.
After the war, it became known as the David Bruce Military Hospital in honour of an Australian-born surgeon of Scots parentage.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir David Bruce (1855-1931)
Sir David Bruce was born in Australia while his Scots father was installing a crushing machine at Sandhurst in the Australian goldfields. The family returned to Scotland when David was five and his education took place in Scotland, firstly at Stirling High School and then, after a stab at a career in industry, at the University of Edinburgh. He entered the university with the intention of reading zoology but changed to medicine. He had a brief career in private practice in Reigate where he met and married his wife. She acted as his technical assistant and proved an accomplished artist who illustrated the records of his discoveries. She also poured oil on troubled waters when her husband upset those around him with his brusque manner - a frequent occurrence. In 1883, soon after his marriage, David Bruce joined the Army Medical Service and the following year was sent to Malta on military duty. He found the hospitals full of patients suffering from a mysterious complaint which sometimes resembled typhoid fever and sometimes malaria and which was known as Malta or undulant fever. Within two years Bruce had discovered its cause, Micrococcus melitensis now known as Brucella spp. Bruce chaired the Malta Fever Commission which sat from 1904-1906 and traced the reservoir of infection to the Maltese goat.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In the mid-1980s, after the British forces had left the island, the old hospital was converted for use as a Secondary School for boys (called the Sir Temi Zammit School) and is still in use as such today. The old subterranean quarters, etc. are now in use as a mushroom farm, while the adjoining chapel of St Oswald now caters for the residents of the area.
I hope the above proves useful.
Regards
Wayne
View of the old Mtarfa Military Hospital from the town of Rabat - located on the opposite side of the valley.
Regards
Wayne
Regards
Wayne
Cheers folks
Some really useful information here. Once again the forum has come up trumps!
Clare
Some really useful information here. Once again the forum has come up trumps!
Clare
Not more than 500m North-East of the Hospital mentioned and shown on the photos, there was another small hospital. Around 1890, this hospital was used for people with diseases and later on, it was turned as a maternity hospital. I need some old photos of the surroundings of this hospital.
hello to all.
I have never been in the army, and thanks god i never lived in war I'm Simon Spiteri 37 year old i live behind the old Military hospital of Imtarfa (Mtarfa) Malta. I'm trying to build the History of Imtarfa during the 1st and 2nd world war any help is appreciated and if you wish any photos from Malta just ask me folks I will do the best. i can touch these places by hand every day so i hope i can be usefull.
Simon
my email numx AT onvol.net - website www.marica.tk
I have never been in the army, and thanks god i never lived in war I'm Simon Spiteri 37 year old i live behind the old Military hospital of Imtarfa (Mtarfa) Malta. I'm trying to build the History of Imtarfa during the 1st and 2nd world war any help is appreciated and if you wish any photos from Malta just ask me folks I will do the best. i can touch these places by hand every day so i hope i can be usefull.
Simon
my email numx AT onvol.net - website www.marica.tk
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