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An interesting, short video called “A Day in the Life of The
Flying Doctor” explained the valued work of these medical
teams. We peered inside a 1977, medically-equipped Beech-
craft Queen Air aircraft on display--and perused the artifacts,
which included newspaper clippings, letters, photos, and
equipment.

“You need to be very self-sufficient if you’re going to live in
a remote area,” explained our guide as she showed our little
group a metal medical chest with over 90 essential pharma-
ceutical items and supplies, each numbered for clarity. These
chests, introduced to Outback stations in 1942, are a vital

tool, to be used only with instructions from an RFDS medi-
cal officer over the phone or radio. Over 3,500 of them are
strategically placed as the first response for emergency treat-
ment, until medical personnel can arrive for victims through-
out remote Australia--which may include mining camps, cattle
stations, and Aboriginal communities.

Also included in these chests, and on display, was the famous
diagnostic Body Chart, drawn by Sister Lucy Garlick in 1951.
With the body numbered by sections, a doctor in contact by
radio or phone could ask a patient to tell him by number ex-
actly where the pain was. I also saw the Traeger Pedal Radio,
which provided communication in the early days, making the
RFDS possible when it was begun in 1928 by the Rev. John
Flynn, a Presbyterian minister.

In 1911, at age 31, he had started his ministry by doing mission-
ary work in remote, rural areas, even traveling via camel in the
Outback. He was saddened and helpless to see seriously ill
or gravely injured people unable to get desperately needed
medical care. Back then things were especially desolate and
primitive.

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