History of the museum

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Harry Daly Museum

The Harry Daly Museum: Preserving the History of Anaesthesia

The Harry Daly Museum, located in an office block in St Leonards, is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of anaesthesia. The collection was established by Dr Harry Daly, an anaesthetist who was also a founder and president of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) from 1946 to 1947. In the 1950s, Dr Daly began collecting items related to the history of anaesthesia, and the collection grew with the help of donations from other doctors and hospitals. The collection was housed in several locations, including the anaesthetic department at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Commonwealth Industrial Gases, and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

In the early 1990s, the building housing the collection at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital was due for demolition. The ASA agreed to assume management of the collection, but for many years, limited space was available at the ASA head office, which restricted the museum display to just a few special items in the then combined library/museum. However, in 2005, the ASA acquired an adjacent office unit, enabling dedicated space for both the library and museum. Custom-made display cabinets and glass-topped drawers were installed, and the Harry Daly Museum opened its exhibits to the public in early 2008. In October 2013, the museum moved to new premises in North Sydney, and the new exhibition opened in July 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Harry Daly Museum was relocated once more, to its current home in St Leonards.

Who was Harry Daly?

Dr Harry Daly, one of the most important anaesthetists in Australian history, was a pioneer in the use of curare in surgical anaesthesia, a breakthrough that was recognised with a Rockefeller Grant. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Faculty of Anaesthetists within the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and was elected Vice Dean at its foundation in 1952, and Acting Dean in 1954. Although he was forced to step down from his position in 1956 due to health problems, he remained active in the community for many years. Daly’s contributions to the sharing of knowledge across international borders and his promotion of uniquely Australian advances in the field of anaesthesia make him a significant figure in Australian medical history.

For more information on Dr Harry Daly’s life and work, check out the following resources:

The Historic Trio

The Harry Daly Museum alongside the Richard Bailey Library and Gwen Wilson Archives are a historic trio located at the ASA head office and are under the guidance of the History and Research Unit (HARU, previously known as HALMA – the History of Anaesthesia Library, Museum, and Archives). The committee, formed in June 1996, meets four times a year to address relevant issues and to expand the services provided by the Museum, Library, and Archives. The museum is managed by the curator.

Exclusive Interview

Watch an interview with Dr Reginald Cammack and Dr Rajesh Haridas about the Harry Daly Museum collection, when it was housed in its previous home in North Sydney.

 

 

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