The cottage was up and running by then and fell under her overall responsibilities as Matron.

Included in Sarah’s family history are many papers relating to the hospital development. The relatively new hospital had replaced an old timber structure in 1890. Fundraising was managed by Ralph Halls who had the honour of laying the foundation stone. Other family names on the hospital committee were Bembrick, Ingrey, Filby, Armstrong, Campbell, Brooke, Dane, Collins and Ellis. The new hospital building helped increase the number of patients over the years from an average of 3 per day to 15, but the annual maintenance costs increased correspondingly from 500 pounds to 1,500 pounds.

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A maternity cottage was first suggested in 1908 and strongly supported by Dr Ercole, another influential figure of the time. Fundraising began and Government assistance of 500 pounds was received. Donations totalled 572 pounds with donors including the family names of Greene, Hall, Bembrick, Hollyford, Sloane, Carter, Rolling, Blayney, Priddle, Drury, McGrath, Rolls, Ingrey, Mylecharane, Deards (nee Halls) and Carr. The cottage foundation stone was laid in 1912 by the then Premier, the Hon W A Holman, who was also the local State Member and a former editor of the Grenfell Vedette. The brick building contained 5 rooms and cost 778 pounds (builder Mr Bradley) with the balance being spent on furniture and equipment. As regular readers would know, it was the first public maternity cottage in NSW and was described as one of the finest in the State.

Although completed in 1913, the cottage was officially opened by the Hospital President Samuel Procter on 3 June 1914 with particular credit being given to Ralph Halls, Thomas Bembrick and Dr Ercole whose design of a confinement bed had been praised by the Matron of the Sydney Women’s Hospital and several medical officers. The building served until 1946 when it was replaced by a new maternity block attached to the main hospital. Recent use has been as a storeroom.

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The following story comes with a warning that it may be very upsetting to a large part of the population over 18 years. Parental guidance may be no help at all. A research team at La Trobe University has studied almost 80 years of medical records and reached the following observations and conclusions:

- Australians consume an average of 15 standard drinks a week,

- a 30% reduction could cut the CANCER death rate by 12% over 20 years, equivalent to 5500 lives every year,

- an average reduction of 0.5 kilograms of tobacco per year could cut a further 8% of cancer deaths.

Nobody would be greatly surprised at the tobacco finding, but alcohol? How many people have maintained that alcohol (in moderation) is good for the heart? Apparently the damage from alcohol shows up in mouth, throat, stomach, bowel, breast and liver cancers, and is an undisputed risk during pregnancy. However for the majority of drinkers and smokers, cancers do not emerge for 12 to 14 years. As a result of the intense public education campaigns about tobacco, average annual consumption has plunged from 3.5 kg in 1960 to 0.8 kg in 2014. However alcohol consumption has hovered around 10 litres per person since the 1990s. Methinks another public education campaign is on the cards. Good luck with that one.

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In the light of this disturbing news your scribe has looked back to 1947 when different problems were the concern, with the dedication to all the smokers and drinkers being “Cigarettes and Whisky and Wild Wild Women” by the Sons of the Pioneers. It was revived by a number of others including Buck Owens, Jim Croce and Peter Sellers, but most surprisingly in 1974 by our very own Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. Maybe he should have stuck to Mashed Potato? Yeah!

Feather Duster No 3

T Lobb