Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Tuesday 25 November 1952, page 1


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TREATED 2000 PATIENTS

Mr. W. R. ('Pop') Johnstone was as busy as ever yesterday in what is believed to be. Australia's tiniest 'hospital'

Here he is when Graham King, 6,

took his sister Carol, 4, along to 'Pop' and stood by her while he cleaned and dressed her injury at the 'hospital' in Piddington Street, St. John's Wood. 'Pop,' an 80-year-old ex-grazier, has been a St. John Ambulance bearer for 52 years. With his 75-year-old wife, known to everybody as 'Mother,' he has built a fully-equipped, one-room 'hospital' in his Piddington Street home. And now 'Pop' and 'Mother,' who are great grandparents themselves, are voluntarily treating the cuts, bruises, and other troubles of the hundreds of children in the new suburbs of St. John's Wood and The Gap. Although most of their

patients are children, they also treat many adults. More than 2000 patients have been treated since the 'hospital' opened eight years ago. It now has at least 20 patients a week. The Red Cross helps, but Mr. and Mrs. Johnstone supply most of the medicines and equipment themselves, and give their time and treatments free. . They work in close c0-operation with local medical men, one of whom always is on call for an emergency case. Why do 'Pop' and 'Mother' do it? 'People write us the, most wonderful letters of thanks.' Mr. Johnstone said. 'And it pays us just to see the young ones well again.'