Wairarapa history of health comes alive

FAREWELL: Post-op morning tea for Dr Graham Cowie, (right), on his final day at Masterton Hospital in 1976. Others enjoying the occasion are Dr Dick Skelley (left), Dr Owen Prior and Karen Ward.

A significant Wairarapa book is being launched this Sunday in Greytown where, 140 years ago last month, Wairarapa's first hospital opened.

Helping Hands: A history of health care in the Wairarapa is being published by Fraser Books for the Wairarapa Health History group, led by Trish Taylor, Dr Owen Prior and Maureen Breukers.

"It was only when I checked the National Library catalogue that I saw there has never been anything like Helping Hands produced in the country before," says Fraser Books' Ian Grant.

"There are histories of a few hospitals, lots of doctor and nurse memoirs and even the odd hospital board history but not a single health history of a whole region from pre-European days to the present."

The book has chapters on early Maori health, the very limited health care of the early European period, the first doctors, nurses and hospitals.

Helping Hands covers the health of the region through epidemics and new medical discoveries, depression and world wars and describes the tensions between national requirements or political agendas and local needs.

It also outlines the often bewildering and acronym-filled health bureaucracy of today and the decades of political tinkering that has led to present structures and the contracting out of many services.

"There are literally hundreds of people mentioned through the decades -- doctors, nurses and a myriad of other health workers," says Diane Grant, the book's general editor.

"And another hundred-plus people in the Wairarapa and beyond have helped flesh out an inspirational story."

Helping Hands -- 432 pages long -- is an important social history focusing on the life and death issues that are central to the functioning and progress of communities.

Over 300 photographs complement the text.

The book is being launched at the Greytown Town Hall on Sunday, August 23, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Members of the public are cordially invited to the launch and to assist with catering, are asked to telephone 06 372 2875 or email: hakakino@wizbiz.net.nz if attending.