Wairau Medical Practice

Lewis Horne assumed the role of medical practitioner, importing drugs by the cask on the ship Falcon to the Port of Wairau. One of the first recorded medical services rendered by Dr Horne was treatment for Mr W Robinson who had had an accident with a bullock dray. Dr Horne attended to Robinson's broken thigh.

Another of the tasks of a colonial doctor was to be a witness at a large number of inquests into untimely deaths that occurred amongst early settlers. In 1866 Dr Horne attended an inquest into the death of Robert George Guest, Big Bush (Grovetown).

A constant difficulty was the recovery of fees from various patients who were unwilling or unable to pay their fees. Dr Horne was never backward in pursuing them for fees in the Court and a number of cases are recorded with Dr Horne wanting to recover expenses and "demanding cash".

Dr Horne practiced on his own for some time, but later was with Dr Johnson and, more enduringly, with Dr Cleghorn.