The recent passing of Dr Aubrey de Vere Bourke, one of the west's most senior and respected general practitioners, marks the end of a Ballina institution.
A 1938 graduate of Edinburgh University, Dr Bourke practised in Ballina, Co Mayo, from 1940. He was still seeing patients until shortly before his death this summer.
A modest man, and a doctor of the "old school", he was the first GP in the west to use penicillin in 1941.
This fact came to light with the unveiling of a memorial to the wife of Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin. Sarah McElroy was a native of Kilfian, Ballina, who married Dr Fleming in December 1915. The Kilfian memorial was unveiled last month by their son, Dr Robert Fleming. The Kilfian Development Association marked the occasion by publishing a booklet, The Discovery of Penicillin and its Kilfian Connection. Dr Bourke, whose ancestors also lived in Kilfian, contributed a chapter entitled "The Early Days of Penicillin in Ballina".
"I put together some remembered details of, I think, the first use of penicillin, certainly outside hospital, in this part of the west of Ireland. Following medical qualification in medicine in Edinburgh University in 1938 and two years in a London hospital, I started a private GP practice in Ballina, my home town," he wrote.
"In about 1941 I was called to a family where there were two boys, Arthur and Philip: neither had been immunised against diphtheria. Arthur, who was about six years old, had a dirty-looking sore throat. It was diphtheria, and I sent him to the Fever Hospital in Swinford. He seemed to do well but on the sixth day died suddenly from the disease, myocardial fever.
"Some two years later, possibly 1943, Philip, now aged about five, became very ill following a simple tonsillitis. He had a high temperature, racing pulse, and clinically I felt he had bacterial endocarditis.
"No cure; but one had just heard of a wonder drug. We were frantic to get it. We were now in war conditions of poor communications, transport etc. However, I learnt that there was some penicillin in the Richmond Hospital, Dublin. There a specialist physician, who had come from the States. I think, though I am not sure, that he was Dr Parker.
"I made contact and begged. He told me that it was in very scarce supply and could only be used in hospital where effects could be observed etc. Eventually my pleading succeeded, and by special courier vials of 30,000 units were sent to me with all sorts of instructions.
"The child must have intramuscular injections every four hours, day and night. I was given the tip, new at the time, that the needle should be `buried' in the outer thigh to avoid reinsertions. Fortunately, Philip had an aunt, a nurse, home at the time, so between us treatment was carried on for, I think, some five days. The fever subsided, the heart steadied and slowed, giving much rest.
"The boy flourished and grew up a healthy youngster. When he was about 20 the family moved to Northern Ireland. I know he married and had a family but I have had no contact for perhaps 30 years.
"Was the diagnosis correct? I don't know, but we all felt that the product of Sir Alexander's research had saved a life. Of interest, penicillin was not `buyable' at the time so there was no charge to the family. To all concerned it was sensational at the time."
This description is not only a testimony to the wonders of penicillin but also to the dedication of the family doctor. Dr Pat Durcan, a GP colleague in Ballina, described Dr Bourke as "modest about his career but proud of his profession". The Kilfian penicillin booklet is both a local history and a description of the discovery of the world's first wonderdrug.
For further information, contact Father Peter O'Brien PP, Kilfian, Ballina, Co Mayo.