Interview with Joyce Rowley

Interview with Joyce Rowley about her experience as a tuberculosis (TB) patients in the 1940s and 1950s. Talks about the shock of her diagnosis and being admitted to Coronation Hospital on May 10th 1946, at a time when she had been married for three years. Comments on having full bed rest on an open balcony, the comparative luxury of the "upper san" once she was transferred there for a few weeks, and the strict and spartan "middle san" that was the final recovery section. Mentions patients dying, and mothers not seeing their children. Discusses the staff, friendships with other patients, and patients' chores in the middle san. Talks about having one day a fortnight out of hospital when she was in the middle san, and being discharged after 13 months. Refers to having a pneumothorax, and needing continued treatment after discharge. Refers to having a lung removed later, a few months after having a baby prematurely. Comments on not seeing her baby for many months, and on the contribution and attention of her husband while she was in hospital. Refers to finding out years later that her mother had had TB when she was born. Reflects on TB having taken ten years out of her life.

Interviewer(s) - Sue McCauley

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-012740

Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s) - printed. 1 Electronic document(s) - transcript. 1 interview(s).

Physical Description: Textual file - Microsoft word

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-4277, OHDL-000909.

Search dates: 1946 - 2001

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: Listening copy OHLC-008464

Both printed and digital versions of the transcript are available