Skip to main content

Story: Hospitals

Preparing for an operation

Image
Preparing for an operation

From the 1860s hospitals were made safer by the use of antiseptics such as carbolic acid, and efforts to exclude bacteria and viruses. Here, hospital staff and a patient are shown in an operating theatre in the late 19th century.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, James McAllister Collection (PAColl-3054)

Reference: 1/1-012752; G

by James McAllister

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Linda Bryder, Hospitals – The transformation of hospitals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/27543/preparing-for-an-operation (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Linda Bryder, published 22 March 2011, updated 1 July 2022.