Death, disease and pandemics

This year marks the centenary in Australia of the ‘pneumonic influenza’ pandemic, popularly known as the 'Spanish flu'. Advances in chemistry, laboratory techniques, and equipment revolutionised medicine in the nineteenth century. Old ideas of infectious disease were gradually replaced by improved understanding of bacteriology and germ theory, leading to a new era of "scientific medicine” and a confidence in disease managed. Yet the challenges for "scientific medicine” were not over in the twentieth century, since pandemics and epidemics were still to take their toll on communities.

The panel of historians at this seminar will share their insights into three major health crises that affected Victorians during the twentieth century: Spanish flu, Polio and AIDS.

Bookings for this free event are now open.  To reserve your seat, click on the button at the foot of this page.
If the button says 'Sorry, this event is sold out', please email [email protected] to join the wait-list.

'Spanish flu: mother of all infections' - Mary Sheehan, Living Histories

Mary Sheehan is a member of the Living Histories team. She is a professional historian with 30 years’ experience in heritage, oral and commissioned histories, and is now a PhD candidate focusing on the 1919 Spanish influenza pandemic in Melbourne. 

'The terror of polio' - Professor Janet McCalman, The University of Melbourne

Janet McCalman AC is the author of three award-winning books: Struggletown, Journeyings and Sex and Suffering and for eight years she wrote a fortnightly column in The Age. In recent years she has been working on cradle-to-grave studies of historical cohorts: first, babies born in Melbourne’s Women’s Hospital 1857-1900; second, Aboriginal Victorians 1840-1985; third on convicts transported to Tasmania 1803-1852 (Founders and Survivors); and currently on men who returned to Australia after serving in World War I (Diggers to Veterans).

She is working on a book about the former convicts who settled in Victoria—a hidden story of secrets and lies. She is a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne.

'Community activism and the AIDS crisis in Victoria' - Lucy Bracey, Way Back When Consulting Historians

Lucy Bracey is a historian with Way Back When Consulting Historians and co-author of several commissioned histories including ‘Under the Red Ribbon: Thirty Years of the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre’.

The seminar will be chaired by Professor Alistair Thomson, Monash University.

 

Children with polio having a school lesson on the sundeck of the Frankston Children's Hospital, Jackson's Road, Mt. Eliza

Children with polio having a school lesson on the sundeck of the Frankston Children's Hospital, Jackson's Road, Mt. Eliza
Photographer: Lyle Fowler (1891-1969), Commercial Photographic Co.
Image credit: State Library Victoria, www.slv.vic.gov.au

 

With thanks to the series sponsors, Monash University Publishing and the Monash University History Program:

Monash University Publishing - some current titles   Monash University History Program 

and to the organising partners:

Old Treasury Building     Monash University History Program      HCV

The seminar is part of an ongoing series, Making Public Histories, that is offered jointly by the Monash University History Program, the History Council of Victoria and the Old Treasury Building. Each seminar aims to explore issues and approaches in making public histories. The seminars are open, free of charge, to anyone interested in the creation and impact of history in contemporary society. Click HERE to learn about other events in the series.

WHEN
March 12, 2019 at 6:00pm - 7:30pm
WHERE
Old Treasury Building
20 Spring St
East Melbourne, Victoria 3002
Australia
Google map and directions
CONTACT
Margaret Birtley · · 0418 814 957
71 RSVPS
Janet Bolitho Natasha Story Laura Screen Garry Sheehan Unseol Woo Darcie Apostolou Alison Wishart Michael Gordon Maria Liberogiannis Katrina Nicolson Penelope Bartlau David Jackmanson Carlson Tsui Sigrid Juers Fiona Poulton Frances ONeill Liliana Fanariotis Marg Loughnan Anne Holmes Mary-Ellen Graydon Georgina Rychner Veronica Gribble Eliza Metcalfe Hannah Viney Jacqui Altman Peihana Couper Sonia Jennings

Who's RSVPing

Janet Bolitho
Natasha Story
Laura Screen
Garry Sheehan
Unseol Woo
Darcie Apostolou
Alison Wishart
Michael Gordon
Maria Liberogiannis
Katrina Nicolson
Penelope Bartlau
David Jackmanson
Carlson Tsui
Sigrid Juers
Fiona Poulton
Frances ONeill
Liliana Fanariotis
Marg Loughnan
Anne Holmes

Will you come?


Showing 40 reactions

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  • Marie Blyth
    canceled rsvp 2019-03-12 14:13:49 +1100
  • Janet Bolitho
    rsvped 2019-03-12 12:12:40 +1100
  • Linda Young
    canceled rsvp 2019-03-12 10:59:43 +1100
  • Libby Blamey
    canceled rsvp 2019-03-12 10:55:44 +1100
  • Kylie Best
    canceled rsvp 2019-03-12 10:53:49 +1100
  • Natasha Story
    rsvped 2019-03-08 15:14:10 +1100
  • Laura Screen
    rsvped 2019-03-06 21:14:45 +1100
  • Libby Blamey
    rsvped 2019-03-04 16:20:20 +1100
  • Garry Sheehan
    rsvped 2019-03-03 18:26:28 +1100
  • Unseol Woo
    rsvped 2019-03-01 22:57:29 +1100
  • Darcie Apostolou
    rsvped 2019-03-01 16:16:09 +1100
  • Alison Wishart
    rsvped 2019-02-28 15:24:01 +1100
  • Michael Gordon
    rsvped 2019-02-27 15:18:32 +1100
  • Maria Liberogiannis
    rsvped 2019-02-27 14:05:02 +1100
  • Katrina Nicolson
    rsvped 2019-02-27 10:51:53 +1100
  • Linda Young
    rsvped 2019-02-27 10:45:27 +1100
  • Penelope Bartlau
    rsvped 2019-02-27 10:28:23 +1100
  • Michael O'Brien
    canceled rsvp 2019-02-26 16:49:19 +1100
  • Michael O'Brien
    rsvped 2019-02-26 16:47:03 +1100
  • Kylie Best
    rsvped 2019-02-26 16:28:45 +1100
  • David Jackmanson
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  • Emma Russell
    canceled rsvp 2019-02-25 08:51:01 +1100
  • Emma Russell
    rsvped 2019-02-25 08:33:55 +1100
  • Carlson Tsui
    rsvped 2019-02-22 13:21:57 +1100
  • Sigrid Juers
    rsvped 2019-02-21 21:31:06 +1100
  • Fiona Poulton
    rsvped 2019-02-21 17:49:46 +1100
  • Frances ONeill
    rsvped 2019-02-20 17:30:34 +1100
  • Liliana Fanariotis
    rsvped 2019-02-20 14:05:59 +1100
  • Marg Loughnan
    rsvped 2019-02-20 10:36:39 +1100
  • Anne Holmes
    rsvped 2019-02-20 10:23:28 +1100
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