History: Mudgee Hospital
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1870
The Hospital probably makes up by the useful for lack of the ornamental, its supply of the latter being small. t has been built fourteen years, and contains five wards, the number of patients at present is eleven, and sometimes amounts to fifteen and seventeen. Mr. Thomas Wesley is the Superintendent1 .
1874
1880
30 October 1880
1895
20 December 1895
THE HOSPITAL is one of which the Mudgee people ought well feel proud. Not only is the building a handsome one, in every respect suitable for its use, but the management has, during the whole course of its existence, been uniformly good. Its usefulness is only limited by the amount of money available, and as a rule there are very few vacant beds. Patients come from all distances, and those discharged almost unanimously speak in the highest terms of their treatment. A good idea of the proportions will be gained from the wood cut. One important feature is the detached fever ward on the left hand side, isolated in order to prevent the spread of infection, but close enough to be conveniently overlooked. Miss Johnson is in charge as matron, and the services of another trained nurse are being secured from the beginning of the year. In addition to the wardsman there are two females assisting in the work of the institution, which will accommodate about thirty patients3
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1896
24 October 1896
1899
23 September 1899
The Mudgee Hospital maintains its excellent reputation for skilful medical treatment, and may fairly claim to be a model establishment of the kind. The medical officer is Dr. Nickoll; the matron, Miss Pickburn; and assistant, Miss Pearson. The management has experienced a good deal of difficulty in obtaining the subsidy; the sum of £200, due up to December, '98, has not yet been paid. Last year was a record year, as many as 193 patients having been admitted, and 40 operations were performed during that time. The office-bearers are:- President, Mr. C. D. Meares; vice-president, Mr. W. Sherry; secretary, Mr. John Cox; treasurer, Mr. W. F Kellett; committee, Right Rev. Monsignor O'Donovan, Archdeacon Campbell, Rev. C. W. Willis, Hon. G. H. Cox, M.L.C., Messrs. W. Shaw, W. Little, W. Bishop, E. H. Deane, J. C. Gunnell, J. Macfarlane, A. S. Tuckerman; P. J. Rheinberger. H. S. Thomas, G. Cadell, A. F. E. Merkle, T. H. Wilkinson, P.M., A. F. Cameron, C. Harper, J. W. Duesbury, E. Clarke. Dr. Nickoll is hospital surgeon, and Dr. Weekes assists in cases where operations have to be performed at the hospital. Mudgee is a healthy place, and is strongly recommended for certain cases - phthisis, for instance. Speaking to Dr. Nickoll, he assured me that typhoid does not exist in Mudgee, but that sometimes isolated cases are brought in from outlying places. The Mudgee climate is very healthy all the year round, clear, bracing weather in winter and exempt from extreme heat in the summer months4
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1905
6 September 1905
1925
8 June 1925
MUDGEE'S LIGHT
HOSPITAL'S DANGER MUDGEE, Sunday.
At a meeting of the local council attention was drawn to the fact that the electric light had failed at the hospital recently while an operation was in progress. It had been continued by the aid of a hurricane lamp.
Aldermen generally condemned the service as unsatisfactory, and the Mayor suggested that the council should install its own plant. He would submit a scheme later5
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2001
12 July 2001
__New The official opening on Tuesday of the new Tilcote Ward at Mudgee Hospital by Minister for Health, Craig Knowles is a direct result of a generous bequeathment almost 100 years ago.
In 1907, James Dalrymple Cox bequeathed the farm "Tilcote", situated on the productive river flats near Mudgee, to the local hospital.
Over the years the farm has provided rental to the hospital and following special permission from the Attorney General was sold in recent years to enable stage 2 of the Mudgee Hospital redevelopment to be extended to include extra facilities.
Mr Knowles said that it was fitting that the new ward was named after the original property.
"It is also pleasing to see that the descendants of the Cox family are able to be here at the opening," he said, calling them forward to take part in the unveiling of the plaque.
"This man had the foresight to set aside his property for the good of the community and so to James and his family descendants we say thank you."
The new ward contains a close observation unit, a refurbished and much improved high dependency unit (which no longer doubles as a recovery ward), a designated foyer area, rooms with private facilities, and more bathrooms for patients.
During his address, Mr Knowles also paid tribute to the Hospital Auxiliary and local businesses who contributed $54,000 in furnishings.
"Congratulations to the men and women of the local hospital auxiliary - one of the most energetic in the State," he observed.
"Finally, a special thank you to the staff of Mudgee Hospital. The work you do is not often acknowledged, but always appreciated.
"The money that has gone into the refurbishment is not worth a bumper without the dedication of the staff," he said.
"Today is one of those great days where people have come together to celebrate this special day. May the Tilcote Ward be a special place for all who use it6 ."