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Kōrero: The voyage out

Surgeon’s medical kit

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Surgeon’s medical kit

Surgeons were vital on immigrant ships to New Zealand. They were responsible for the good physical health of the passengers, and for their moral behaviour. To discharge their primary responsibility, ships’ surgeons came on board with well-stocked medical chests and surgical instruments. This medical kit belonged to Dr George Lillie Smith, who came from Edinburgh to Waipū in the mid-19th century.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Waipū Heritage Centre

by Shirley Williams

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

John Wilson, The voyage out – Sickness at sea, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/object/2592/surgeons-medical-kit (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā John Wilson, i tāngia i te 4 March 2009.