Dentist

Edward (Eddie) William Saranealis

Born Thursday Island - 2nd February 1902

Died Thursday Island - 2nd October 1971

Brief History Eddie's father came to Thursday Island from Galle, Ceylon about 1896 and married Alice Stewart, from London in the Quetta Memorial Cathedral on Thursday Island on 24th September 1900. Six children (three boys and three girls) were born of the marriage, Eddie being the eldest. Eddie's father was a jeweller and practiced dentistry on Thursday Island. When Eddie's father died in 1919, Eddie being the eldest and an apprentice to his father, took over the management of the business. He was an excellent pearl cleaner, watch repairer and manufacturer of jewellery. It is thought that he continued his studies of dentistry by correspondence after the death of his father. He also made a study of the diseases that caused bacteria living in the deposits about the teeth, as clean teeth never had any cavities. Eddie also assisted Dr. Vernon and Dr. Nimmo in preparing microscopical work and slides for the Torres Strait Hospital and in 1934 was granted an honorarium of five pounds for his assistance. The slides he prepared of a person on Thursday Island contained malaria parasites when examined and another was tetanus. He was asked to take blood samples from patients on St Pauls Island when he went to do dental work there. When these slides were examined they showed that 28 of these people contained the malaria parasites. This was the first time that malaria was diagnosed on Thursday Island.

Professor A Watson MD LSA Professor of Anatomy, Adelaide University SA, retired to Thursday Island. After having his teeth attended to by Eddie he congratulated him on his knowledge of the dental profession and the way he diagnosed his patients. Professor Watson suggested to Eddie that he further his studies of dentistry at the Queensland University. Professor Watson accompanied Eddie to Brisbane where Eddie obtained his LDQ.

Weston A Price DDS, MSFGD of Dental Research Laboratories Cleveland, Ohio, who was travelling around the world seeking the cause of the breakdown of our civilized races, called in to see Eddie and congratulated him on the work he was doing and the technique he used in the diagnosis of his patients.

Eddie, accompanied by his two brothers, assisted residents of Thursday Island at the outbreak of World War 2 by sailing their launch Mitzi between Thursday Island and Townsville carrying possessions of the evacuees. When civilians were permitted to return to Thursday Island after the war they again made several voyages backwards and forwards returning residents' personal possessions. During the war Eddie carried on his dental practice in Townsville with Mr R Young.

The dental chair (purchased about 1945) and equipment were kindly donated by his only surviving sister, Ruby Saranealis.