One Woman's Story of Midwifery Training at Queen Victoria Hospital Melbourne During 1945

By Betty Cutts

I commenced midwifery as a trainee on January 1st 1945, when it was a nine month course, and completed it on October 1st that year. Queen Victoria hospital was then located in Williams Street, next to the Jessie McPherson Private Hospital.

Miss Schaeffer – a diminutive and kind lady – was the Matron. Dr Jean Hutchings was the Medical Superintendent. Two of the Honorary Obstetricians were sisters, Drs Agnes and Roberta Donaldson, and from memory, Dr Kate Campbell and Dr Elizabeth Turner were the paediatricians.

The trainees started straight in the wards, usually commencing at 6.00am and having one day off per week. Our lectures were given by the Matron, Tutor Sister, the Medical Superintendent and honorary doctors.

I chose to do midwifery at the Queen Victoria Hospital rather than the Women’s Hospital because part of our course included three weeks district nursing, delivering at least three babies in the home.

During that period we were residents at the District Nursing Centre, Melbourne. We wore their regulation hat and coat and were given a leather case containing all the necessary equipment. Our own uniforms were worn beneath the coat. There were only three trainees at a time. I had done my general training at Prince Henry’s Hospital, my two fellow trainees had their general training at the Alfred and Melbourne, which did not have the prefix of royal in those days.

All of us thoroughly enjoyed the novel and educational experience. Before going on 'District' the trainees were required to have had several baby deliveries in the Queen Victoria labour wards. Mothers having home births were all multiparas having had previous normal deliveries in hospital.

A midwife and a doctor were present when the trainee performed the baby’s delivery and post natal care. For the following seven to ten days we visited the mother and baby attending to their needs.

Kettles and saucepans of hot water were always in readiness on their fire or gas stoves. We travelled by public transport except for night deliveries when we took a taxi. Our distinctive 'District' coat and hat gave one the feeling of safety as we moved across a wide area of urban and suburban Melbourne.

I loved this experience as we always were warmly welcomed into the homes – some of which were spotlessly clean, whilst others were unkempt and rundown. One particular area in Prahran, which was quite dilapidated, was later demolished for the building of high rise flats.

A pleasant atmosphere prevailed at Queen Victoria Hospital and there was an unusually relaxed attitude between the medical and nursing staff, but being 'for women and by women', it was almost a relief at times to see a man!

The only males in evidence were engineers, boilermen, odd job men and fathers or male relatives at visiting times. Many of the latter were still absent from home, serving with the Armed Forces. Queen Victoria’s policy was that all mothers were to wear a wedding ring and be addressed as 'Mrs'. Thus it was not known whether our patients were married or single, which I think for the times was a kinder attitude.

One extraordinary proof of hereditary genes remains in my memory. I was showing a newborn infant to its grandmother through the nursery window, as was the custom, when she asked me if one or both of the baby’s ears were pierced. She pointed to her ear and said that both she and her son (the baby’s father) had been born with pierced ears. To my utter astonishment, I found upon close scrutiny that indeed one of the baby’s little earlobes was clearly pierced.

We had a very good record of maternal and child care and I recall very few stillbirths and only one maternal death during my course. Premature babies under six months were very rarely saved, even though we had humidicribs and a special nursery.

When the Second World War finally and thankfully ended, I was on night duty and was not aware of all the excitement on the nearby city streets. My midwifery training was also coming to its completion, and not long after, Queen Victoria Hospital was moved to its next location in Lonsdale Street. The same care and principles would no doubt continue for the welfare of Melbourne women and children.