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Aberdeen Theatres: Tuberculosis exhibition
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Aberdeen Theatres: Tuberculosis exhibition

Historic Photographs
David Oswald
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Aberdeen Theatres: Tuberculosis exhibition
Historic Photographs
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Aberdeen Theatres: Tuberculosis exhibition
Throughout its history the Music Hall in Aberdeen has been used for all manner purposes beyond the performing arts and film screenings.

In March 1912 an exhibition on the infectious disease tuberculosis was held in the Music Hall on Union Street. This striking poster, with the headline "War on consumption", advertised the six-day event and the accompanying series of lectures.

The exhibition was organised by the Town Council of Aberdeen and the National Association for the Prevention of Consumption. The majority of the exhibition was brought to the city by the latter party with local additions from the Aberdeen Public Health Department, the pathological and public health laboratories of the University of Aberdeen and the Aberdeen Mothers' and Babies' Club.

The exhibition arrived in Aberdeen on the 16 March from Dundee where it had been visited by 30,000 people. It had also toured Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Hull.

At the close of the "six day crusade against tuberculosis", Lord Provost Maitland described the exhibition and lecture series as "Magnificent" and local paper The Aberdeen Journal stated that the success of the event, "judged by popularity, is beyond all doubt." In total 39,960 attended over the six days, placing Aberdeen behind only Hull which was open for an extra day.

Approximately 20,000 health pamphlets were disseminated around the city, including 15,000 catalogues freely distributed by the Public Health Committee. A copy of this catalogue, which includes an instructive article from Aberdeen's Medical Officer of Health, Matthew Hay, is kept in the collection of Aberdeen Local Studies.
The Music Hall
Theatres
TR08_19
Aberdeen Local Studies
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