Today (13th July 2014) is the final day of the exhibition where 11 of my photographs were shown with the story about G.J. Teljer. Below three pictures and the text. Plus an overview of my exhibition that was complemented with ship artefacts from the Museumwerf, among which an airscoop and pulleys.
Herenstraat:
Kerkenbrink:
Huis de Doorslag:
G.J. Teljer - surgeon, medical man and obstetrician
At the end of the 19th century a medical man called Gerardus Josephus Teljer lived in the Herenstraat in Jutphaas which is nowadays a quarter in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands (referring 1st picture). This notable had a nice view on the estate Rijnhuizen. Often boats were moored to the quay along the Herenstraat. Those boats were headed towards the river Lek or Hollandse IJssel, or on their way back.
Jutphaas was a small village but far from compact. That may be the reason why Teljer had a preference for transportation by horse and carriage to visit his patients in Juthaas and sometimes Vreeswijk. Among local historians he is known as the person who contributed the most to the eradication of cholera, in the late 19th century Jutphaas. In the course of the 19th century medics in the Netherlands learned and became aware that increases in hygiene served the battle against infectious diseases. Teljer put great effort in convincing the villagers and passing skippers to apply hygiene measures in their households (or shipholds).
Clean drinking water was another means in the combat against diseases. The medicine man had a pump realised on the Kerkenbrink (now Kerkveld, referring 2nd picture). This meant that everyone in that neighbourhood did not have to drink water from the river any longer. Local healthcare policy was not as far-reaching as Teljer wished it to be. The mayor and aldermen (referring 3rd picture with house where notables went for their meetings) perceived the risks as low or not as severe as Teljer evaluated them. National guidelines for healthcare were not applied. Teljer on the other hand visited infirmaries for cholera patients in both Jutphaas and Vreeswijk. The latter against the instructions of the mayor. Teljer helped where he could and fought against the disinterested attitude of the elite and the apathie of the working class.
References
- Historical figures come from the archive of the Historic Association Nieuwegein (http://www.museumwarsenhoeck.nl/vereniging.html)
- Journal of Historical Association Nieuwegein: Cronyck de Geyn, 1979-4 (http://www.museumwarsenhoeck.nl/cronyck-de-gein.html)
Exhibition:
Artifacts on the floor, from left to right:
airscoop, bollards, pulleys, sternlight, plate - part of iron ship.
