1930 - NEW CHEMIST AT GULGONG.Gulgong's new chemist, Mr. D. H. Dougan, has had a wide and varied experience. He was apprenticed to Mr. J. F. McKimm, president of the Pharmacy Board, and later gained further experience around Sydney. Mr. Dougan has also had some sea-going experience, having taken up wireless as a hobby, and visited Canada, Honolulu, China, and the Islands as a wireless operator on various ships including R.M.S. Niagara. For the past two years has been representing Parke Davis and Co., the world's largest drug organisation, calling on doctors, chemists and hospitals both in New South Wales and West Australia. With such a wide experience it should not be Mr. Dougan's fault if Gulgong lacks anything in the pharmaceutical line.
Mr D. H. Dougan
1934 - GULGONG COUNCIL"I beg to recommend that the following building permits be granted: Mrs F. Hasenkam, erection of a. dwelling in Belmore street; Mrs J. Haley, additions to dwelling, Little Belmore street; Mr H. Sweeney, addition of window in dwelling at the rear of shop in Mayne street; Mr D. H. Dougan for the fitting of a new front to shop, Mayne street".1934 - THE LOCAL PHARMACYMr. D. H. Dougan, M.P.S., has purchased from Mrs Harris the premises in which he has conducted for a few years the business which he took over from her when he came to Gulgong. Mr Dougan, in keeping with the progressive policy he adopted, is having the front portion of the premises remodelled.The improvements will include a new floor in the pharmacy, interior alterations, the installation of new windows, and the concreting of the footpaths. A verandah roof has been erected, and when the final touch has been made to the premises the appearance of Mayne Street will have been greatly improved.
Source: John Esber
Moving to rebuild
In 1952 the old two storey building which had stood since 1872, was pulled down and replaced in brick as it is today. Business was temporarily carried on where Albert Souter had traded for so many years. The new pharmacy commenced trading on the 1st May, 1953. Mr Dougan has now owned the business for over 40 years.
Source Julie Gillan
1934 - WISTARIA MONTHJUDGING by the displays of wistaria to be seen in various parts of Gulgong this is indeed 'wistaria month.' At present wistaria is making a glorious splash of color. A vine partly overhangs the balcony of Mr D. H. Dougan's premises in Mayne street. The vine trained over a framework at the hospital is at present showing at its best.1936 - GULGONG'S LEADING CHEMISTGulgong's leading and up-to-date chemist. Mr. D. H. Dougan, has had his pharmacy enlarged considerably. It is now indeed a large shop for a country centre. One of his show windows is at present dressed as attractively as any city establishment.Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 26 Nov 1936 Page 181936 - LADY CHEMISTMiss N. Crossley, a qualified chemist, late of Hallam Ltd.. Sydney, has joined the Gulgong staff of Mr. D. H. Dougan, M.P.S., of Gulgong, Dunedoo and Wellington.
The following article was written by Gulgong chemist, Donald H Dougan, reflecting on his career and his time as a pharmacist in the town from 1930 to 1970. Images have been added.
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Yesteryear: -- Country Pharmacy and its owners
Dr. Zimmler established this Pharmacy in 1871 and although he had medical qualifications from Hanover he did not seek registration but practised only as a Pharmacist.
It was this business which I purchased in 1930. It had been carried on after Dr. Zimmler's death in 1891 by Clemence Harris and his wife, who was one of the first women registered in NSW in 1902.
I was registered in 1924, having been apprenticed to John F. McKimm at Ashfield. I did not seek permanent employment immediately as I was doing a course in Wireless Telegraphy and when qualified I spent some time at sea as a Marine Wireless Operator. I was replaced by automatic equipment early in 1928 and after a period of unemployment joined Park Davis and Company as a detailer.
My first territory was Western Australia — the whole state — 2 hours away in time and 5 days away by train. My last territory was Western NSW, with its boundary touching Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Bourke, Cobar, Condobolin, Cowra and the Blue Mountains.
This move gave me the opportunity to look for a business for myself. All travel was by rail and the interval waiting for a train out gave me a good chance to investigate the possibilities of Gulgong.
The population was about 1600 — there were two pharmacies — A.E. Souter and Mrs Harris — three doctors, Dr Leslie and Marjorie Tunley and Dr R.M. Allport and a good hospital of 20 beds. The hospital was supported by the town and district — income was supplemented by the NSW Government £1 for £1.
There was a passenger train up and down to Sydney seven days a week and a daily mail service. The goods train service was dependable and the passenger trains carried parcels every day. Roadside mails operated several days a week radiating from the town and medicine was frequently despatched by this means.
The takings of the Pharmacy averaged about £35 per week — rent was £1 per week and the stock was reasonable. Mrs Harris agreed to sell but wanted about double the normal price for goodwill, which I paid.
The premises, a large two-storey building built of pine, was in much the same state as when first occupied in 1873 when Dr Zimmler moved from the original location of the 'Gulgong Dispensary'. The street was gravel — the footpath was gravel and the customer stepped onto a bare cypress pine floor nearly worn through except for the knots. There was no display window and the walls were lined with dispensary bottles and jars, with rows of square gold-labelled drawers about waist high, many containing crude drugs. The back wall was half hidden by a dispensing screen with shelves in front for perfumes.
My first job was to get a carpenter and plumber to make a bathroom upstairs with bath, chip-heater and shower. A new 1000-gallon galvanised tank was put in place of one of the square ones and a small tank placed in the ceiling was filled by a semi-rotary pump to supply water for the new bathroom.
The town had no water supply or fire brigade but did have a reasonably reliable electricity supply, though the system was not earthed.
A 48-hour week was worked by the business houses but the Pharmacy was open much longer as the Doctors' surgery hours ended at 8 pm. I followed Mrs Harris' hours to open at 9 am and close at 8 pm. Saturday hours were 9 am to 1 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm and Sunday 7 pm to 9 pm, which totalled about 63 hours per week.
The range and type of prescriptions would have been much the same as written 20-30 years previously, except that an occasional proprietary preparation appeared. Prescriptions were copied in the normal 500-page script book, with progressive numbering which had reached six figures. The remedies used in 1930 differed little from those prescribed in 1920 except perhaps that the call for freshly made pills, suppositories, powders, emulsions and blisters were gradually disappearing. Ointments were used fairly frequently and were often time consuming in preparation.
There was no law to restrict the use of any drug when prescribed by a doctor and no law required records to be kept. Prescriptions were valid for all time notwithstanding any drug ordered and any quantity could be lawfully dispensed.
Most prescriptions had to be compounded — the ingredients specified were for a dose with directives for the quantities to be supplied.
Some of the older doctors specified the quantities for a particular sized bottle and directed the dose to be taken. A fair degree of concentration was naturally required to check for errors with this method. Most prescriptions were written for mixtures, comparatively large amounts of Pot Cit, Sod Bicarb, Pot Brom, Sod Brom, Pot Iod, Bism Carb were ordered. Solutions of the soluble chemicals were kept to avoid the use of scales. Liquids were prescribed in the form of tinctures, liquors, spirits, infusions etc.
A signature and record was required for the sale of listed drugs such as Arsenic, Cyanide, Strychnine etc., but quantities were not controlled.
Prescriptions were few and became fewer as the Depression became worse and unemployed men arrived looking for work. Eventually the Government introduced the 'dole' which allowed single men to draw 7/- worth of rations and couples 12/- worth. No money was involved — the dole ticket was handed to the authorised storekeeper who handed out the required items. The cost of food was low at this time e.g. Loaf bread 4d, Top Side Steak 6d lb, Rump 8d lb, Butter 10d lb, Sugar 4d
lb, Jam 1/1 2lb tin, Flour 2hd lb, 2lb Treacle 7d, Corned Beef 4d lb, 28lb Potatoes 2/9, so the value allowed was enough for survival. Many men endeavoured to supplement their rations by searching for gold and had moderate success. They had a problem though and that was to find a buyer, the banks were not interested.
Eventually attention was focussed on me as they argued that as I was familiar with chemicals I should be an expert with gold and why didn't I buy it. One reason was that I had never seen raw gold before and also I had no money to finance the proposal.
Eventually, I decided to risk gold buying as more was being found and the old hands of the 1870s assured me that if I paid 3/6 per dwt I would get 3/9 provided I took care to remove sand and pick points. I had to buy 120z or 1 lb troy before Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Co. would handle it. Within 3 or 4 weeks I had the 12oz which I sent to Port Kembla and received 3/9 dwt as forecast. The price of gold was fixed at £4/4/11 ½ per fine oz and did not alter for years. There was no inflation and the pound note could be exchanged for gold by the Commonwealth Bank at any time.
As a matter of interest, Gulgong gold is of very high quality, averaging 980 parts per 1000 or better. It is the most malleable of metals — one grain can be beaten to cover an area of 56 sq inches or drawn into a wire 500 feet long.
The price of gold doubled overnight when England abandoned the gold standard in 1931. More men were encouraged to seek the metal and for several years I spent each Thursday morning (dole day) buying gold, anything from one grain up to whatever was offered. I averaged about £3 per week profit from gold buying and with this help the newly-purchased pharmacy managed to survive the depression.
Conditions were very bad during 1931 and 1932 as unemployment had increased and many of those with jobs were on half time so that no one was sacked.
A disaster which affected everyone was failure of the NSW Government Savings Bank, in 1931. Funds were frozen and not released for some years causing great hardship and distress to most of the Community.
There was no [national health] system or medical and hospital benefit funds and no free immunisation programme. It was a question of paying all costs yourself, be it doctor, chemist or hospital. The doctor's fee was 10/6 and medicine was charged on a flat rate basis of 3/6 for 8 oz bottle with a tablespoon ( ½ oz) dose. The Pharmacist was often asked to prescribe for common ailments such as colds and flu, rheumatism, indigestion, and backache for the shearers. The big worry for most people was to find enough money for relief when they were ill and many stuck to home remedies.
Other patent medicines being sold were Bidomak, Clement's Tonic, Bonningtons Irish Moss, Woods Peppermint Cure, Nyal Family medicines and Parke Davis Counter lines such as Alophen Pills (a small dose of Strychnine in each) Syrup Cocillana Compound for coughs (active ingredient Heroin), Cascara Evacuant, Metatone and others.
_________________________________________
Yesteryear: -- Country Pharmacy and its owners
The Pharmacy is in Gulgong, a town 302km north-west of Sydney, on the lowest part of the Dividing Range. The town grew out of a gold rush in 1870 and at the peak of the diggings catered for a varying population which at times was estimated at up to 20,000 people.
The town was established within a few months of the gold discovery and despite distance, lack of transport and other difficulties many hundreds were able to buy food, clothing, have medical help and other essentials available to them.
If you look at the back of [the old] $10 note you will see a likeness of poet Henry Lawson. He lived in Gulgong as a boy and later used the town and district as a background for many of his poems and stories and also mentioned many of the local people by name. He would have known the Pharmacy as his Aunt Phoebe's husband owned 'The Times Bakery', also shown on the note. Level with Henry's forehead are produced sketches of buildings photographed by Beaufoy Merlin in 1872. On the first building can be made out 'Gulgong Dispensary. Dr. C. Zimmler.'
The town was established within a few months of the gold discovery and despite distance, lack of transport and other difficulties many hundreds were able to buy food, clothing, have medical help and other essentials available to them.
If you look at the back of [the old] $10 note you will see a likeness of poet Henry Lawson. He lived in Gulgong as a boy and later used the town and district as a background for many of his poems and stories and also mentioned many of the local people by name. He would have known the Pharmacy as his Aunt Phoebe's husband owned 'The Times Bakery', also shown on the note. Level with Henry's forehead are produced sketches of buildings photographed by Beaufoy Merlin in 1872. On the first building can be made out 'Gulgong Dispensary. Dr. C. Zimmler.'
Dr. Zimmler established this Pharmacy in 1871 and although he had medical qualifications from Hanover he did not seek registration but practised only as a Pharmacist.
It was this business which I purchased in 1930. It had been carried on after Dr. Zimmler's death in 1891 by Clemence Harris and his wife, who was one of the first women registered in NSW in 1902.
I was registered in 1924, having been apprenticed to John F. McKimm at Ashfield. I did not seek permanent employment immediately as I was doing a course in Wireless Telegraphy and when qualified I spent some time at sea as a Marine Wireless Operator. I was replaced by automatic equipment early in 1928 and after a period of unemployment joined Park Davis and Company as a detailer.
My first territory was Western Australia — the whole state — 2 hours away in time and 5 days away by train. My last territory was Western NSW, with its boundary touching Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Bourke, Cobar, Condobolin, Cowra and the Blue Mountains.
This move gave me the opportunity to look for a business for myself. All travel was by rail and the interval waiting for a train out gave me a good chance to investigate the possibilities of Gulgong.
The population was about 1600 — there were two pharmacies — A.E. Souter and Mrs Harris — three doctors, Dr Leslie and Marjorie Tunley and Dr R.M. Allport and a good hospital of 20 beds. The hospital was supported by the town and district — income was supplemented by the NSW Government £1 for £1.
There was a passenger train up and down to Sydney seven days a week and a daily mail service. The goods train service was dependable and the passenger trains carried parcels every day. Roadside mails operated several days a week radiating from the town and medicine was frequently despatched by this means.
The takings of the Pharmacy averaged about £35 per week — rent was £1 per week and the stock was reasonable. Mrs Harris agreed to sell but wanted about double the normal price for goodwill, which I paid.
The premises, a large two-storey building built of pine, was in much the same state as when first occupied in 1873 when Dr Zimmler moved from the original location of the 'Gulgong Dispensary'. The street was gravel — the footpath was gravel and the customer stepped onto a bare cypress pine floor nearly worn through except for the knots. There was no display window and the walls were lined with dispensary bottles and jars, with rows of square gold-labelled drawers about waist high, many containing crude drugs. The back wall was half hidden by a dispensing screen with shelves in front for perfumes.
Pharmacy building on Mayne Street
HARRIS - Pharmaceutical Chemist:
Teeth carefully extracted
Teeth carefully extracted
Prescriptions accurately dispensed
Purest drugs and chemicals
There was no running water and no sink or drainage. Kitchen type basins were used to wash bottles and measures. Water for dispensing was taken from a 400 gal. square ship's tank and put through an earthenware filter about 3 gal. capacity. This filter was very effective and also guaranteed that no mosquito wrigglers were ever dispensed. A small spirit stove supplied heat for most jobs and the kitchen stove was used for large quantities.
The two-storey wooden building was originally the 'Hotel de France' with dining room and bar on the ground floor and a dance hall upstairs. The dancing area opened onto a narrow balcony along which grew a massive wisteria on one end and an equally large grape vine on the other, so giving the building a unique appearance.
The kitchen was a large slab building in the back yard about 25 ft from the dining room and the lavatory was near the back gate about 25 yards away. Water was collected from the roof in three 400-gallon ships' tanks.
I think Dr. Zimmler had his own home but Clemence Harris must have partitioned the top floor to give sleeping accommodation and living area. There was no bathroom as such, but an area at the end of the kitchen served by using an ordinary galvanised tub. To dispose of wastewater meant spreading it about the yard around a few fig trees.
The two-storey wooden building was originally the 'Hotel de France' with dining room and bar on the ground floor and a dance hall upstairs. The dancing area opened onto a narrow balcony along which grew a massive wisteria on one end and an equally large grape vine on the other, so giving the building a unique appearance.
The kitchen was a large slab building in the back yard about 25 ft from the dining room and the lavatory was near the back gate about 25 yards away. Water was collected from the roof in three 400-gallon ships' tanks.
I think Dr. Zimmler had his own home but Clemence Harris must have partitioned the top floor to give sleeping accommodation and living area. There was no bathroom as such, but an area at the end of the kitchen served by using an ordinary galvanised tub. To dispose of wastewater meant spreading it about the yard around a few fig trees.
Clemence and Sarah Harris, both chemists in Gulgong
My first job was to get a carpenter and plumber to make a bathroom upstairs with bath, chip-heater and shower. A new 1000-gallon galvanised tank was put in place of one of the square ones and a small tank placed in the ceiling was filled by a semi-rotary pump to supply water for the new bathroom.
The town had no water supply or fire brigade but did have a reasonably reliable electricity supply, though the system was not earthed.
A 48-hour week was worked by the business houses but the Pharmacy was open much longer as the Doctors' surgery hours ended at 8 pm. I followed Mrs Harris' hours to open at 9 am and close at 8 pm. Saturday hours were 9 am to 1 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm and Sunday 7 pm to 9 pm, which totalled about 63 hours per week.
The range and type of prescriptions would have been much the same as written 20-30 years previously, except that an occasional proprietary preparation appeared. Prescriptions were copied in the normal 500-page script book, with progressive numbering which had reached six figures. The remedies used in 1930 differed little from those prescribed in 1920 except perhaps that the call for freshly made pills, suppositories, powders, emulsions and blisters were gradually disappearing. Ointments were used fairly frequently and were often time consuming in preparation.
There was no law to restrict the use of any drug when prescribed by a doctor and no law required records to be kept. Prescriptions were valid for all time notwithstanding any drug ordered and any quantity could be lawfully dispensed.
Most prescriptions had to be compounded — the ingredients specified were for a dose with directives for the quantities to be supplied.
Some of the older doctors specified the quantities for a particular sized bottle and directed the dose to be taken. A fair degree of concentration was naturally required to check for errors with this method. Most prescriptions were written for mixtures, comparatively large amounts of Pot Cit, Sod Bicarb, Pot Brom, Sod Brom, Pot Iod, Bism Carb were ordered. Solutions of the soluble chemicals were kept to avoid the use of scales. Liquids were prescribed in the form of tinctures, liquors, spirits, infusions etc.
A signature and record was required for the sale of listed drugs such as Arsenic, Cyanide, Strychnine etc., but quantities were not controlled.
Prescriptions were few and became fewer as the Depression became worse and unemployed men arrived looking for work. Eventually the Government introduced the 'dole' which allowed single men to draw 7/- worth of rations and couples 12/- worth. No money was involved — the dole ticket was handed to the authorised storekeeper who handed out the required items. The cost of food was low at this time e.g. Loaf bread 4d, Top Side Steak 6d lb, Rump 8d lb, Butter 10d lb, Sugar 4d
lb, Jam 1/1 2lb tin, Flour 2hd lb, 2lb Treacle 7d, Corned Beef 4d lb, 28lb Potatoes 2/9, so the value allowed was enough for survival. Many men endeavoured to supplement their rations by searching for gold and had moderate success. They had a problem though and that was to find a buyer, the banks were not interested.
Eventually attention was focussed on me as they argued that as I was familiar with chemicals I should be an expert with gold and why didn't I buy it. One reason was that I had never seen raw gold before and also I had no money to finance the proposal.
Eventually, I decided to risk gold buying as more was being found and the old hands of the 1870s assured me that if I paid 3/6 per dwt I would get 3/9 provided I took care to remove sand and pick points. I had to buy 120z or 1 lb troy before Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Co. would handle it. Within 3 or 4 weeks I had the 12oz which I sent to Port Kembla and received 3/9 dwt as forecast. The price of gold was fixed at £4/4/11 ½ per fine oz and did not alter for years. There was no inflation and the pound note could be exchanged for gold by the Commonwealth Bank at any time.
As a matter of interest, Gulgong gold is of very high quality, averaging 980 parts per 1000 or better. It is the most malleable of metals — one grain can be beaten to cover an area of 56 sq inches or drawn into a wire 500 feet long.
The price of gold doubled overnight when England abandoned the gold standard in 1931. More men were encouraged to seek the metal and for several years I spent each Thursday morning (dole day) buying gold, anything from one grain up to whatever was offered. I averaged about £3 per week profit from gold buying and with this help the newly-purchased pharmacy managed to survive the depression.
Conditions were very bad during 1931 and 1932 as unemployment had increased and many of those with jobs were on half time so that no one was sacked.
A disaster which affected everyone was failure of the NSW Government Savings Bank, in 1931. Funds were frozen and not released for some years causing great hardship and distress to most of the Community.
There was no [national health] system or medical and hospital benefit funds and no free immunisation programme. It was a question of paying all costs yourself, be it doctor, chemist or hospital. The doctor's fee was 10/6 and medicine was charged on a flat rate basis of 3/6 for 8 oz bottle with a tablespoon ( ½ oz) dose. The Pharmacist was often asked to prescribe for common ailments such as colds and flu, rheumatism, indigestion, and backache for the shearers. The big worry for most people was to find enough money for relief when they were ill and many stuck to home remedies.
The nostrums of Dr Zimmler and Mrs Harris were gradually forgotten except Dr Zimmler's Quick Eye Ointment (2% Hyrarg ox flav – BP was 1%) and Cherry Balsam Cough Mixture of Mrs Harris. I continued to sell Cherry Balsam but altered the formula and it became a popular remedy.
I had the recipe books of Dr Zimmler (dated 1838) and Mr. Harris — they contained some hundreds of formulae for a variety of uses and make interesting reading — all were written by hand in copperplate.
The drawers full of crude drugs and an 1885 BP gave an indication of the work my predecessors had to do in preparing infusions, tinctures, decoctions and other galenicals, none of which had to comply with any required standards. In 1930 all these items were available as concentrates or extracts from the wholesalers.
What did surprise me as winter approached was the demand for Strychnine. The country was overrun with rabbits which could be trapped for food or poisoned for skins. It was not unusual to sell 25 or 50 oz of powdered Strychnine (Hulls Burroughs Wellcome or Sayers Allport) to one man who at the same time would get his favourite lure which could be Sandalwood Oil, Oil Rhodium, Aniseed Oil, Oil of Cumin or Spirits Chloroform. Milk thistle roots were cut into small squares for baits which were dusted with Strychnine and shaken with a few drops of the lure of the day. A false trail was usually laid with plain baits and next night the Strychnine baits were used.
The rabbits would be picked up the next day — the skins removed and dried by pulling them over wire bows which were stuck in the ground. The skins were sold to local buyers or sometimes baled and sent to buyers in Sydney.
Although rabbits were a menace they were the means of supplying food and in winter the sale of skins brought in a little money. Farm and property incomes were very low as wheat fell to about 1/6 per bushel and wool to 10d lb. The basic wage was about £3/15/0 but many of those employed were not drawing a full week’s pay as they were on shared time.
Under these conditions, the money in circulation decreased and so had the effect of limiting any increase in turnover in all business undertakings, especially my Pharmacy which was also functioning under the handicap of having a new owner. However, my opposition was not very active and at times would close his business for weeks on end especially during Metropolitan Racing Carnivals.
The Gulgong Race Club was dormant at this time but the course, about a mile from town, was a Godsend for the unemployed as the stables and sheds provided them with shelter. The Committee was rather dismayed though, when inspecting the course later to find that every paling and picket and spare bit of wood had been used for cooking fires by the temporary lodgers. It was an expensive task to replace the fences and the missing timber.
Other sports in the town were not affected. Tennis was very popular as was cricket in the summer and golf (sand greens) in winter.
In 1937 the Government commenced building the Sandy Hollow-Maryvale railway line which was to join three systems, the Western Line (Maryvale), the Mid West (Gulgong) and the Northern Line (Sandy Hollow), connecting all to Newcastle for traffic to and from the Port. Work progressed from both ends with headquarters at Gulgong.
A large number of men were employed as the work was done by pick and shovel and horse and dray, and an odd motor truck. This work made a tremendous difference to the commercial life of the town and was responsible for a number of premises being enlarged and improved. A conventional shop front with display windows was added to the Pharmacy together with wall cases and glass counter cases. Turnover increased and it was not very long before the help of a shop assistant was needed
The railway work had been a big help to Gulgong business life and had given work to many men who had been unemployed for a long time. Then in 1939 war broke out and construction work ceased. The Services absorbed most of the unemployed.
In 1946, I resumed work at the Pharmacy with a very unsettled feeling which was hard to explain. Service life and civilian life were poles apart but the next 30 years were the most demanding, interesting and rewarding, even if a bit frightening at the end, with problems of unemployment and inflation to say nothing of the changing values, attitudes and behaviour accepted by the community.
Source: Article written by D. Dougan, unknown date and publication
I had the recipe books of Dr Zimmler (dated 1838) and Mr. Harris — they contained some hundreds of formulae for a variety of uses and make interesting reading — all were written by hand in copperplate.
The drawers full of crude drugs and an 1885 BP gave an indication of the work my predecessors had to do in preparing infusions, tinctures, decoctions and other galenicals, none of which had to comply with any required standards. In 1930 all these items were available as concentrates or extracts from the wholesalers.
What did surprise me as winter approached was the demand for Strychnine. The country was overrun with rabbits which could be trapped for food or poisoned for skins. It was not unusual to sell 25 or 50 oz of powdered Strychnine (Hulls Burroughs Wellcome or Sayers Allport) to one man who at the same time would get his favourite lure which could be Sandalwood Oil, Oil Rhodium, Aniseed Oil, Oil of Cumin or Spirits Chloroform. Milk thistle roots were cut into small squares for baits which were dusted with Strychnine and shaken with a few drops of the lure of the day. A false trail was usually laid with plain baits and next night the Strychnine baits were used.
The rabbits would be picked up the next day — the skins removed and dried by pulling them over wire bows which were stuck in the ground. The skins were sold to local buyers or sometimes baled and sent to buyers in Sydney.
Edward Wans with a truck load of rabbits during the depression
Under these conditions, the money in circulation decreased and so had the effect of limiting any increase in turnover in all business undertakings, especially my Pharmacy which was also functioning under the handicap of having a new owner. However, my opposition was not very active and at times would close his business for weeks on end especially during Metropolitan Racing Carnivals.
The Gulgong Race Club was dormant at this time but the course, about a mile from town, was a Godsend for the unemployed as the stables and sheds provided them with shelter. The Committee was rather dismayed though, when inspecting the course later to find that every paling and picket and spare bit of wood had been used for cooking fires by the temporary lodgers. It was an expensive task to replace the fences and the missing timber.
Other sports in the town were not affected. Tennis was very popular as was cricket in the summer and golf (sand greens) in winter.
In 1937 the Government commenced building the Sandy Hollow-Maryvale railway line which was to join three systems, the Western Line (Maryvale), the Mid West (Gulgong) and the Northern Line (Sandy Hollow), connecting all to Newcastle for traffic to and from the Port. Work progressed from both ends with headquarters at Gulgong.
A large number of men were employed as the work was done by pick and shovel and horse and dray, and an odd motor truck. This work made a tremendous difference to the commercial life of the town and was responsible for a number of premises being enlarged and improved. A conventional shop front with display windows was added to the Pharmacy together with wall cases and glass counter cases. Turnover increased and it was not very long before the help of a shop assistant was needed
The railway work had been a big help to Gulgong business life and had given work to many men who had been unemployed for a long time. Then in 1939 war broke out and construction work ceased. The Services absorbed most of the unemployed.
In 1946, I resumed work at the Pharmacy with a very unsettled feeling which was hard to explain. Service life and civilian life were poles apart but the next 30 years were the most demanding, interesting and rewarding, even if a bit frightening at the end, with problems of unemployment and inflation to say nothing of the changing values, attitudes and behaviour accepted by the community.
Source: Article written by D. Dougan, unknown date and publication
