The experience of syphilis in early Queensland as recorded through hospital records

Authors

  • Mary Stewart Queensland Department of Health
  • Joseph Debattista Queensland Department of Health
  • Owain Williams University of Leeds
  • Lisa Fitzgerald University of Queensland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/qre.23682

Keywords:

hospital records, patient records, Queensland, sexually transmitted infections (STI), syphilis, treatment of disease

Abstract

The story of colonial expansion has often been entwined with the social and health impact of syphilis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of syphilis (in its primary, secondary and tertiary forms) on hospital admissions and individual patients in Queensland in the pre-antibiotic era. This article centres on available hospital patient records for the years 1880–1920, stored at the Queensland State Archives. From these records, 220 cases of syphilis were retrieved, the majority diagnosed as primary-stage infections. Overall, it was found that the number of deaths from syphilis in its tertiary form was not significant compared with other causes of death in that period. The perception of colonial syphilis as highly prevalent and a serious threat to the population is not supported by our review of hospital records, which suggests that its reputation in relation to its social implications exceeded the evidence of its prevalence.

Author Biographies

  • Mary Stewart, Queensland Department of Health

    Mary Stewart was previously employed by Queensland Health, including as a research and project officer in the Centre for Drug and Alcohol Studies. There she participated in historical research in the area of sexual health, with a particular focus on patient records, to describe early risk behaviours in the pre-antibiotic era. She has a degree in history/politics from Griffith University and has undertaken postgraduate studies in information, majoring in research, through Charles Sturt University.

  • Joseph Debattista, Queensland Department of Health

    Joseph Debattista PhD has been employed in the fields of sexual health and blood-borne viruses, and alcohol and other drugs within Queensland Health since 1989, and currently serves as the Sexual Health & Blood-Borne Virus Coordinator within the Metro North Public Health Unit.

  • Owain Williams , University of Leeds

    Owain Williams is an Associate Professor in Global Political Economy and Health at the University of Leeds. He has worked on global public health and international political economy, with a focus on the commercial determinants of health, access to medicines, HIV and health and health systems under capitalism. He has also held positions at the University of Queensland and Aberystwyth University, with research that blends the political sciences with health, food and the economy.

  • Lisa Fitzgerald, University of Queensland

    Lisa Fitzgerald is an Associate Professor and public health sociologist in the School of Public Health, University of Queensland. She has research interests in the health and wellbeing of people experiencing marginalisation and the social determinants of (sexual) health. She is engaged in qualitative social research projects related to HIV, sexual health, young people, digital health data and LGBTIQ+ health.

References

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A common practice regarding SSIs admitted to the asylum was to return them to their island of origin.

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Deaths, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

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Published

2023-05-11

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 2 (2022)

Section

Research Article

How to Cite

Stewart, M., Debattista, J., Williams , O., & Fitzgerald, L. (2023). The experience of syphilis in early Queensland as recorded through hospital records. Queensland Review, 29(2), 53-66. https://doi.org/10.1558/qre.23682