Weekly Meeting - A little Controversy - David Bruce and President

Wed, Sep 11th 2019 at 8:00 pm - 10:30 pm

For non golfers!


Club members please log in for more information.

A little Controversy

A small but elite group of members congregated for our usual camaraderie over a meal before ‘unofficial business’ commenced – an imagined meeting in 1909 between Major General Sir David Bruce (portrayed by his namesake, our Assistant Secretary) and  Dr Walter Hadwen, a Gloucester GP (played by Mike Till).

Hadwen was a man of strong convictions, being both an anti-vaccinationist and an anti-vivisectionist.  He had sailed to Malta to investigate, on behalf of the British Union against Vivisection, the problem of a disease rife on the island called Malta Fever. The debate focused on whether a germ in unpasteurised goats’ milk, consumed in some quantity by the inhabitants, carried the infection and the possible mistreatment of the goats during the investigative process.  

Bruce was adamant that Malta Fever was due to a germ that he had found in victims of the illness in line with developing research on the causes of diseases.  However, Hadwen did not believe in Germ Theory and felt it more important to improve living conditions, reduce overcrowding and provide clean drinking water and adequate sewerage disposal. The Army units benefitted from better health in new facilities and housing on the island, the Royal Navy stayed remained in poor conditions around the harbour and infection persisted in their population.

Bruce claimed to have discovered the link between the consumption of raw goats’ milk and Malta Fever, but another pathologist in Malta, the magnificently named Themistocles Zammit, had actually made the discovery before him.  Bruce initially discredited the research by casting doubts on Zammit’s technical abilities only to change his tune and take all the credit once he learned that tests had yielded positive results.

The evening’s debate covered the contrasting beliefs of the historic Miasma Theory for disease, dating back to the time of Galen in the 1st century AD that maintained that “bad air” resulting from rotting organic matter was the cause, and the developing and self-explanatory Germ Theory based on the more recent scientific research of Pasteur, Snow, Koch and others.  

The chat concluded with a little local history on the sites of Gloucester’s isolation hospitals and then questions and several contributions from the listeners.

An enthralled audience gave a prolonged ovation (20 seconds – Ed) and an impromptu VOT was given by Neil Normington!!

Dave and Mike


'What We Do' Main Pages:

A joint project of the 4 Gloucester Clubs to assist organsations with small donations.

more  

Polio is nearly eradicated thanks to Rotary International.

more  

We are extremely grateful to our sponsors, for their help with our fund raising for good causes.

more