Historical information

Dr William Bottomley (1881-1952) was a specialist based at Collins Street who advocated for humanist and practical solutions to public health issues. His love of the Emerald countryside which he visited at weekends with his family led him to being the primary instigator of the late 1920s development - the iconic and beautiful Emerald Country Club. He later retired to Emerald where he built a Modernist-inspired home, Silver Birches, which is of architectural significance. This 1911 booklet outlines his argument for sexually transmitted diseases to be treated as a public health issue instead of the practice at that time which was to blame the victim.

Significance

This book is significant because it outlines Dr Bottomley's argument for treating sexually transmitted diseases as a public health problem in the early 20th century when this was not a widely held view. Dr Bottomley also has close connections with the origin of the Emerald Country Club.

Physical description

Booklet with dark red paper cover. 30 pages.

Inscriptions & markings

On front cover: 'An / Old Plague / And A New / Remedy / A Plain Talk About Certain / Contagious Diseases / By / W. S. F. Bottomley M. D., / Clinical Assistant at Melbourne Hospital, formerly / Resident Medical Officer / Commonwealth of Australia / E. W. Cole, Book Arcade, Melbourne / 346 George St., Sydney 67 Rundle St., Adelaide'