Harold Bertram Turbott (5 August 1899 – 16 March 1988) was a New Zealand medical doctor, public health administrator, broadcaster and writer. For four decades he broadcast a weekly talk on health on the radio.

Early life

Turbott was born in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

on 5 August 1899, moving to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

as a child where he attended Hamilton High School. He was

dux ''Dux'' (; plural: ''ducēs'') is Latin for "leader" (from the noun ''dux, ducis'', "leader, general") and later for duke and its variant forms (doge, duce, etc.). During the Roman Republic and for the first centuries of the Roman Empire, '' ...

of the school and went on to study medicine at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

, qualifying in 1923 after topping the class in midwifery.

Career

Turbott's first job was as a house surgeon at

Waikato Hospital Waikato Hospital is a major regional hospital in Hamilton, New Zealand. It provides specialised and emergency healthcareWaik ...

; he intended to become a surgeon. In 1923 he was persuaded that experience in India and China would be valuable and he went to work in a hospital near Canton (Guangzhou). While in China he spent three months researching hookworm for the Rockefeller Foundation, followed by a course in radiology in Beijing (Peking). By the time he returned to New Zealand he had decided on a career in

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

but as graduates from Britain were preferred in the field he returned to Dunedin to lecture in bacteriology and to complete a diploma in public health. In 1927 he became assistant medical officer of health (MoH) in Auckland. He was able to initiate a diphtheria immunisation programme for school children to quell an epidemic. Later in 1927 he was appointed MoH in Gisborne. This was interrupted by a period in 1928 when he was in

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

with the expeditionary force to quell the Mau uprising. As MoH in Gisborne, Turbott recognised the problems causing

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

ill health: infectious diseases, poor housing, and inadequate water supplies and waste disposal. In 1933 he worked on tuberculosis in Māori on a fellowship from the British Medical Research Council. The community was resistant to the project so Turbott sought the assistance of Sir Āpirana Ngata who was Minister of Maori Affairs. Turbott was able to instigate isolation shelters for the home treatment of tuberculosis patients. From 1935 to 1936, Turbott was chief medical officer in Western Samoa where there was a need to tackle tropical diseases and infant welfare. Returning to Auckland in 1936 he became MoH in South Auckland. There was high Māori mortality, and diphtheria, typhoid and tuberculosis were rife. In 1940, Turbott's campaign for public health, particularly better sanitation, was recognised by the prime minister

Peter Fraser Peter Fraser (; 28 August 1884 – 12 December 1950) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 24th prime minister of New Zealand from 27 March 1940 until 13 December 1949. Considered a major figure in the history of the New Zealand La ...

and government allocated £40,000 for the construction of privies and water tanks. This initiative was supported by Te Puea Herangi. In 1940, Turbott took up the position of director of school hygiene in the Department of Health where he promoted the public health nursing service. In 1947, he became deputy director general of health (public health), and director general of health in 1959. His appointment to director general was marred by an appeal by Dr A. W. S. Thompson who then sued Turbott for damages because of comments Turbott made during the appeal process.

Radio doctor

Turbott became the radio doctor from 1943 to 1984 broadcasting a seven-minute talk on health every week, taking on the position from

Colin Scrimgeour The Reverend Colin Graham Scrimgeour (30 January 1903 – 16 January 1987), also known as Uncle Scrim or Scrim, was a New Zealand Methodist Minister and broadcaster. Biography Life and ministry Born in Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, he entered the Metho ...

. The radio doctor talks were viewed with some suspicion by his colleagues but later grudgingly accepted.

Other activities

Turbott was president of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...

from 1960 to 1961 and chairman from 1964 to 1965. He served on the

Wellington Hospital Board Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

from 1968 to 1983. He also served on other organisations: the local drainage board, the Traffic Institute and the Old People's Welfare Council.

Honours

In 1953, Turbott was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In the

1959 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 1959 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate ...

, he was appointed a

Companion of the Imperial Service Order The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. Normally a pe ...

Personal life

Turbott married his first wife Eveline Arthur in 1923. After their divorce he married Robinetta Jamieson in 1938. He had one daughter and two sons, one of whom was Harry Turbott, a New Zealand architect. Turbott died on 16 March 1988 in Hutt Hospital, Lower Hutt.

Publications

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References

External links

Harold Turbott talking about his career
NZ Ministry of Culture and Heritage
Politics, War and Progress: The broad picture 1935–1949
RNZ. {{DEFAULTSORT:Turbott, Harold Bertram 1899 births 1988 deaths New Zealand public health doctors People from Auckland People educated at Hamilton Boys' High School University of Otago alumni New Zealand broadcasters New Zealand Companions of the Imperial Service Order Hutt City Councillors Wellington Hospital Board members