Museum
About the collection
The museum was established in 1954. The collection holds obstetric
and gynaecological instruments dating from the mid-18th century
to the present day, including a significant collection of forceps.
Prototypes of instruments developed by specialists in Australia
and New Zealand are a feature of the collection.
The museum is currently collecting items to record more recent
developments made in the last 40 years in areas such as IVF, fetal
monitoring, laparoscopy and gynaecological surgery.
Highlights
Significant items
Significant pieces in the museum include:
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William Smellie's obstetrical forceps
ANZJOG 2004; 44: 184-85 - Melissa Campbell
The RANZCOG museum holds an extensive collection of early obstetric
forceps. The most significant is a pair of William Smellie's
straight forceps dated circa 1750. These forceps provide a tangible
and direct link with the development of obstetrics as a specialty
and the training of Australians and New Zealanders in Britain
and Ireland through the RCOG in London More
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120KB)
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Dr Mitchell Henry O'Sullivan's Bag
ANZJOG 2003; 43: 412-413 - Melissa Campbell
Dr Mitchell Henry O'Sullivan's (1892 - 1972) obstetric bag is
a time capsule containing instruments and items that document
the obstetrical practice of a country doctor in Victoria in
the years between the two world wars. Items of particular interest
include the amber chloroform drop bottle that was used in the
early 1920s, predating the cobalt blue bottles used later, and
the early examples of suture material that includes a box of
silk worm gut and vials of catgut
More
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102KB)
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Victor Bonney's portable operating table
ANZJOG 2003; 43: 190-91 - Melissa Campbell
Dr Victor Bonney (1872 - 1953) followed his father into medicine
and trained at St Bartholomew's and the Middlesex Hospitals.
Writing his obituary in 1953, FW Roques said of Bonney that
he "'made three great gifts to surgery. First he was the
pioneer of myomectomy; second, with Berkeley, he extended and
perfected Wertheim's operation for carcinoma of the cervix;
and third, he devised a fine surgical technique emulated by
so many of his pupils. To theatre sisters, labour-ward sisters
and young house-surgeons he will always be remembered as the
discoverer of 'Bonney's Blue' [antiseptic solution].'"
Bonney's utilitarian, portable operating table has a round,
worn scrubbed patch showing traces of his famous blue solution
More
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94KB)
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Mrs Howlett's Box and Certificate
ANZJOG 2003; 43: 2-3 - Melissa Campbell, Rosalind Winspear
Mary Livingstone Howlett (1840 - 1922) practised as a midwife
in country Victoria from 1866, attending between 10 and 12 cases
a year until 1920. She arrived from Scotland as a 12-year-old
with her family, living at Shelford, an easy coach ride from
Geelong. Mrs Howlett's 1887 certificate is from the Melbourne
Lying-In Hospital in Madeline Street, North Melbourne (now Swanston
Street, Carlton), and certifies her as "thoroughly qualified
to discharge the duties of Ladies' Monthly Nurse" More
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174KB)
Access
Visiting the museum
The museum is open to Fellows, members, Friends of the College
Collection and researchers. Members of the public are welcome to
visit by appointment.
The museum is open 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. The museum
curator works on Fridays.
Donations of material are welcome. Please contact the museum curator.
Contact
The Museum Curator
For further information please contact the musuem curator:
Ms Grainne Murphy
Museum Curator
© RANZCOG |
