The First 50 Years - Early Doctors

Early Doctors
When Dr F P Donoghue drove
into town in 1936, he
remembered the band playing
for Anzac Day. Dr Donoghue
had come from Yarram to take
over the medical practice of
the late Dr Horace Pern. At
that time Dr Wood was the
Medical Officer - Health
(MOH) to the shire but,
following his death in January
1941, Dr Donoghue was
appointed to the position.
In Dr Donoghue’s younger
days he was a renowned sportsman in several
fields - he played football for Carlton from 1925 -
1928 as a ruck and half-back and he also rowed for
Xavier College. A later claim to fame was as a
successful trainer of race horses.
Many changes had taken place in the field of
medicine within the shire during the years from
1936 to 1964. Dr Donoghue said “the opening of
the Woorayl District Memorial Hospital by His
Excellency, the Governor of Victoria, Sir Dallas
Brooks in 1958 was a momentous event in the
history of medical services within the shire.”
Prior to there being an ambulance service in the
area, most seriously ill and injured patients were
transported to hospital on a mattress on the tray of
a truck or utility.
Dr Donoghue considered the establishment by the
Victorian Red Cross Society of the regional blood
bank at WDMH a progressive step. Before this
time, if blood was urgently required, all those willing
and able to give blood were assembled - blood was
taken and cross matched with the serum of the
recipient until a suitable donor was found. 142
The Star - 24.9.68
Dr F P Donoghue
In 1964, Dr Donoghue sold the practice to Dr M
Bourke and Dr M Croatto. Two years later the
amalgamation of the two medical practices in
Leongatha brought together the four doctors,
Drs Bennett, Eagger, Bourke and Croatto which
saw the beginning of a partnership spanning
over twenty-five years. At the time of the
opening of the Leongatha Medical Clinic there
were eight consulting rooms, two for each
doctor, a special laboratory for taking tests, a
study room and library for the doctors, as well
as “a most comfortable waiting room for the
patients.”
The Star Newspaper reported that “the new
clinic and the amalgamation of the two
practices will streamline the service that they
can give to patients, and will enable the doctors
to have a little more leisure time.” 143
The four doctors have watched the Leongatha
Memorial Hospital grow and develop into one of
the region’s foremost health institutions.
The Star - 23.5.72
Dr Croatto performs a minor operation on a patient
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In the early days of the amalgamation the doctors
were kept very busy, averaging around 60
patients a day each, sometimes they even saw 25
before lunch. They drew patients from as far
away as Yarram and Wonthaggi due to the
shortage of doctors at that time in those areas. 144
Dr Bourke had only planned to stay one month
helping Dr Croatto, he ended up staying in
Leongatha for over 40 years. He remembers new
mothers staying in the hospital for 10 days after
they had their baby. Matron MacRae, in his
words was as “tough as boots, but good”. He
also remembers Matron MacRae often telling him
“Dr Bourke, if you get blood on that quilt I’ll have
your guts for garters”. 145
“The fellowship of the staff has been a wonderful
thing, and the relationship between the staff and
the doctors.” said Dr Bourke. 145
One memory which remains on his mind is one
particular GP Registrar who went to Melbourne
for the weekend, and Dr Bourke had been on duty
that weekend. Monday morning came and he
received a call telling him there had been a bad
accident at Ruby and asking him to come into the
hospital. He rushed in to find the ambulance
there, unfortunately the victim didn’t survive, and
when Dr Bourke pulled back the blanket he
realised it was his young GP Registrar. 145
Dr Bennett Jnr had been in Leongatha for over 40
years. He took over the practice when his father
retired in 1955. He can remember the opening of
the hospital vividly saying that it was raining.
Before the official opening, Matron MacRae
showed Sir Dallas Brooks around the shining new
hospital, whilst Dr Bennett showed Sir Dallas
Brooks’ wife throughout the polished corridors.
Once the official opening took place, the public
were allowed to walk through the hospital,
however because of the rain, everyone’s shoes
were quite muddy, which was of course brought
inside. 146
With the new hospital, saw the first decent
mortuary. Dr Bennett remembers prior to that, a
brick shed at the back of the courthouse was
used. 146
Dr Bennett remembers the dinner the Board of
Management always attended before the Annual
General Meeting, and this one particular year the
kitchen staff brought out a chilled bottle of red
wine. Later Dr Bennett gave the staff a lecture on
how to handle red wine. At the next year’s dinner
when the staff brought out the delicious looking
meal with a bottle of unchilled red wine, the guest
of the evening , Mr Tom Roper, said “I hope you
didn’t go to all this trouble for me”. The staff
replied back “No, this is for the Doctor”. 146
From the early doctors such as Drs Pern, Wood
and Donoghue through to Drs Croatto, Eagger,
Bourke and Bennett and to the current doctors
who are lead by Drs Toohill, Perry, Hugh & Lesley
Chisholm and Tim & Joy Linton we thank you for
your dedication, your advice, compassion,
knowledge and most importantly the sacrifices you
and your families have made.
The Star 22.12.92
Standing are Dr Mario Croatto and Dr Alec Bennett
and seated is Dr Michael Bourke and Dr Ron Eagger.

Below are photos of just some of the doctors who have made a difference at the Leongatha Memorial
Hospital.
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