The medical history of South Georgia
ABSTRACT The first landing on South Georgia was made in 1775. Sealing expeditions arrived soon afterwards, and during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries men plundered the beaches and seas surrounding the island for seals and whales. Sealing and whaling ceased in the 1960s, when declining whale number...
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2009
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800781x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800781X |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s003224740800781x 2024-03-03T08:48:11+00:00 The medical history of South Georgia Keys, Jennifer Guly, Henry 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800781x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800781X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Polar Record volume 45, issue 3, page 269-273 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development journal-article 2009 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800781x 2024-02-08T08:47:38Z ABSTRACT The first landing on South Georgia was made in 1775. Sealing expeditions arrived soon afterwards, and during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries men plundered the beaches and seas surrounding the island for seals and whales. Sealing and whaling ceased in the 1960s, when declining whale numbers and the increasing use of other forms of oil made the industry uneconomical. Although an isolated island with a small population and a severe climate, South Georgia has a rich history. Its medical history has not been previously studied. This paper aims to look at some aspects of the medical history of the island, from early expeditions of discovery, through to the 20th century whaling industry. Surviving whalers and whaling doctors were interviewed. Published material with any relevance to South Georgia, including academic texts and personal memoirs, were searched for details of hospitals, doctors and medical events on the island. Documents archived in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom revealed much useful information, and occasional documents came to light from other sources. Aspects of the provision of medical services over two centuries from 1775 to the beginning of the 1960s are described. Morbidity and mortality are summarised and discussed, as are differences between medical care in South Georgia and standard care. Article in Journal/Newspaper Polar Record Cambridge University Press The Beaches ENVELOPE(-56.832,-56.832,49.583,49.583) Polar Record 45 3 269 273 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
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General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development Keys, Jennifer Guly, Henry The medical history of South Georgia |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
description |
ABSTRACT The first landing on South Georgia was made in 1775. Sealing expeditions arrived soon afterwards, and during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries men plundered the beaches and seas surrounding the island for seals and whales. Sealing and whaling ceased in the 1960s, when declining whale numbers and the increasing use of other forms of oil made the industry uneconomical. Although an isolated island with a small population and a severe climate, South Georgia has a rich history. Its medical history has not been previously studied. This paper aims to look at some aspects of the medical history of the island, from early expeditions of discovery, through to the 20th century whaling industry. Surviving whalers and whaling doctors were interviewed. Published material with any relevance to South Georgia, including academic texts and personal memoirs, were searched for details of hospitals, doctors and medical events on the island. Documents archived in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom revealed much useful information, and occasional documents came to light from other sources. Aspects of the provision of medical services over two centuries from 1775 to the beginning of the 1960s are described. Morbidity and mortality are summarised and discussed, as are differences between medical care in South Georgia and standard care. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Keys, Jennifer Guly, Henry |
author_facet |
Keys, Jennifer Guly, Henry |
author_sort |
Keys, Jennifer |
title |
The medical history of South Georgia |
title_short |
The medical history of South Georgia |
title_full |
The medical history of South Georgia |
title_fullStr |
The medical history of South Georgia |
title_full_unstemmed |
The medical history of South Georgia |
title_sort |
medical history of south georgia |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800781x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800781X |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-56.832,-56.832,49.583,49.583) |
geographic |
The Beaches |
geographic_facet |
The Beaches |
genre |
Polar Record |
genre_facet |
Polar Record |
op_source |
Polar Record volume 45, issue 3, page 269-273 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800781x |
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Polar Record |
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45 |
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3 |
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269 |
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273 |
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