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ABC News
4 days ago
- Science
- ABC News
Australian inventor brothers Edward and Donald Both changed lives, but 'no-one's heard of them'
An electric scooter doesn't have that much in common with a humidicrib. Or a fax machine. You wouldn't expect someone who made heart monitors to be your first port of call when you wanted an Olympic scoreboard. Yet all of these inventions — and around a hundred more — once came out of the same Australian factory. They were all the creations of a pair of brothers, Edward and Donald Both. Across the middle of the 20th century, the Both brothers built things to meet the challenges of the times — war machinery in the Second World War, electric vans to beat post-war rationing, sports technology for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and a lifesaving polio treatment to counter the devastating epidemic. But where their name was once emblazoned on tools around the world, it's now filtered out of sight. Even in their home state of South Australia, the brothers' work isn't common knowledge — although their memory is preserved by a few dedicated museum curators and family members. "Ted" and "Don" hailed from Caltowie near Port Pirie in South Australia and were the eldest and youngest, respectively, of five siblings. Kaylene Kranz, a relative of the brothers, says their regional roots were a source of their inventiveness. "If you're in the country, you haven't got the luxury of picking up the phone and say, 'Hey, come and help,'" she says. Ms Kranz knew both Ted and Don as a young woman — particularly Don, who she recalls as a jolly fellow. "Ted was the put-together man and Don had ideas and ran the business side of it. But together, they were a formidable team," Ms Kranz says. Kellie Branson, a curator at the SA Health Museum, said the brothers' genius came from their ability to work in tandem. "Their brains were opposites, but they still work together to come up with these amazing inventions." The duo didn't tend to invent brand new things, so much as dramatically improve existing tools. Ted once said he didn't even like the term "inventor" – it implied their ideas had come from nowhere. "People who imagine a person dreaming up an entire invention and making it work have the wrong idea," he said in a 1950 interview. "It is a painstaking process, checking each step." This reticence didn't stop people labelling Ted "Australia's Edison", particularly after his work in the 1940s. During World War II, Ted worked on devices that measured machine gun fire, transmitted drawings and diagrams over phone lines, dried blood that could be reconstituted for field transfusions, and helped guided torpedoes. The brothers' electric vehicles were a response to petrol rationing. The scooter never made it to market, but Ted also developed electric vans, which were used to deliver bread until the late 1940s. The drawing-transmitting device, a kind of early fax machine dubbed the Visitel, found uses in confirming horse racing results. There were more sporting innovations, first with tennis scoreboards for the Davis Cup, then the 14,000-light globe Olympic scoreboard at the MCG. Ms Kranz says there's even a family story that they "had television sorted" before anyone else in the 1930s, only to have their plans disrupted by the war. But the brothers' biggest success was in healthcare. The iron lung worked better when it wasn't made from iron. The respirator, first developed in the 1920s, was a lifesaver for people paralysed by polio. "It was very heavy, cumbersome and expensive to make and produce," Ms Branson says. At his new wife Eileen's coaxing, Ted decided to spend their honeymoon funds on making a cheaper version in 1937. "They managed to do one made of plywood," Ms Branson says. The lighter, cheaper, "iron" lung was a twentieth of the cost of commercial iron lungs. Ted took the invention to London, and within a few years, there were hundreds of wooden respirators being distributed across the Commonwealth, helping surging numbers of polio patients. He was awarded an Order of the British Empire for his work. Humidicribs, similarly, already existed in the early 1950s, when Don turned his hand to one. But his portable version could more quickly and safely encase premature babies with the right temperatures and humidity. Then, there are the electrocardiograph (ECG) machines. Doctors had known since the 19th century that placing electrodes over a patient's heart, and recording the signals it emitted, could give vital information about a patient's heart health. By the 1930s, ECGs were accurate enough to diagnose patients — but getting the graphs required an arduous film-developing process, which could take weeks. The Both brothers figured out how to make instant readers: first with glass discs, then with paper and ink-dipped styluses marking out tiny graphs. "You could use the microscope on top of the machine to view the results instantly," Ms Branson says. They could also be transported to hospital bedsides, or even over bumpy roads to the patients' homes. The brothers also worked on electroencephalographs (EEGs) for measuring brain activity. Ms Kranz, who worked in neurology, found herself using EEG equipment designed by the Both brothers years later — alongside a family cousin who'd stayed with the business. From the polished wooden frames to the delicately printed labels, much of the Both equipment is aesthetically pleasing to look at. It's a world away from the bright, boxy plastic of modern medical equipment. The ECGs fit right in to the halls of the library at the South Australia Parliament, where librarian John Weste has put some of the Both equipment on display. "I love the design," Dr Weste says. "It's so beautifully executed — even the carrying cases with the herring bone wood patterns." Packed into their cases, the early ECGs look less like doctors' tools and more like vintage sewing machines. Ms Branson suspects this is deliberate. "I think they did design it on the look of some old sewing machines," she says. For patients who'd never seen an ECG before, a more familiar piece of equipment might be less foreboding. Other pieces might be mistaken for old radios. "It wouldn't seem like they were getting a procedure or a reading. It just looked like the radio was next to their beds," Ms Branson says. Ms Kranz finds this suggestion likely, remembering the beauty of Don and his wife Yvonne's Kensington home on her visits. "They had a lovely house, and we were always given tea out of beautiful cups in the sitting room," she says. "So yes, I think so that it wasn't just 'OK, let's sort this', [it was] 'let's make people comfortable while we're making them well.'" The brothers sold their company to Drug Houses of Australia in the 1960s, but they kept tinkering well into retirement. Ted died in 1987 and Don died in 2005. Ms Branson, who's been collecting Both equipment for the health museum for years, recently travelled out to Ted's grave in Victoria. "It's a humble little plaque. No mention of his inventions. It just says: 'Ted Both, OBE, and his dates.'" Eventually, more company acquisitions and the pace of medical research took the Both name off equipment. Dr Weste, who's been showing the Both equipment to visitors to the South Australia Parliament, says people are surprised to learn the inventions originated in the state. "No-one's heard of them. And that's the great tragedy of it," he says. This is partly why the health museum loans some of the Both equipment out. "Otherwise, these stories will be hidden away," Ms Branson says. "We want these people to be out in the light." Ms Kranz has told her grandchildren about her clever cousins, and she wants them to be more widely known too — but not just them. She says South Australia has a host of other under-recognised inventors. Ms Kranz hopes the Both equipment on display will show people how much medicine has changed in the span of less than a lifetime. "We have our MRIs and our CTs, and our big, whiz-bang machines that twiddle around and go ping, but they managed to diagnose without that in the early days, with very basic stuff."
ABC News
7 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Port Pirie and Hobart smelters need 'urgent' government help, owner says
The owner of the Port Pirie and Hobart smelters says its operations are losing tens of millions of dollars a month and need government help within "weeks" to stay afloat, casting a cloud over thousands of manufacturing jobs. Nyrstar Australia, which employs more than 1,400 people across Tasmania and South Australia, is lobbying the federal and South Australian governments to provide "transitionary support" for its smelting operations. The company says the Port Pirie lead smelter is losing tens of millions of dollars a month and will "simply not survive" in the current market, while its Hobart zinc smelter cannot operate independently of Port Pirie. Nyrstar Australia chief executive Matt Howell said government action was needed in "weeks, not months". "The business at Port Pirie is losing very considerable money — tens of millions a month — because of this distorted market, and it requires a response now," he told the ABC. "That's why we're quite buoyed by the nature of the conversations that we've had with the Commonwealth and state. "They recognise the seriousness, they recognise the urgency, and we're confident we'll get a solution." The renewed call for taxpayer help comes after Nyrstar's parent company Trafigura earlier this year placed its Australian smelting assets under review, describing them as "uncompetitive" entities that "shouldn't be in fully private hands". China has, according to Mr Howell, distorted the metals market by subsidising companies to purchase Australian raw materials at prices Australian smelters cannot afford. China then subsidises the processing of those materials into metals while also placing export controls over the finished product, he said. The issue has also put a cloud over the future of the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville copper refinery in Queensland. "We have been quite clear that business as usual under the current distorted market is not an option," Mr Howell said. "That's why this is a now problem. That's why it needs urgent government transitionary support. "This is not something where we can kick the can down the road into next year, the business will simply not survive in the current market environment. "Absent that market support, the business cannot be viable, and we all know what that means." Around 850 full-time workers are employed at the Port Pirie smelter, Mr Howell said, not accounting for hundreds more connected to the facility through contractors. The Hobart smelter employs around 600 people, not including contractors. The problems for Australia's smelting industry come only months after the South Australian government and the Commonwealth committed $2.4 billion to ensure the future of the financially troubled Whyalla steelworks. The state government regularly cited concerns about Australia's sovereign steelmaking capacity if the Whyalla steelworks closed. Mining giant Glencore made a pointed comparison to the $2.4 billion steelworks package in a pitch for federal government money for its Queensland copper assets. But SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the smelter at Port Pirie is a "completely different asset" to the Whyalla steelworks with "completely different" circumstances. "We very much think that this country does require a sovereign smelting capability," he said. "That is a challenge that we're alive and we're in discussions with Trafigura about that at the moment." SA Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis said it was not a Port Pirie issue but an "Australia smelter issue". "Smelters across the country are going through this because of the practices occurring in China, which is attempting to try an in-house this capability entirely in one country," he said. Mr Koutsantonis said he was in "regular contact" with federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres, who is "actively looking at this on behalf of the entire country". "This needs a national response," he said. The ABC contacted Mr Ayres for comment. Mr Howell said Nyrstar is willing to fund a $45 million feasibility study into redeveloping its Port Pirie smelter. The study will take 22 months to complete, and the company needs government support over that time, he added. "Over that period of time, absent any government support, the business would be losing many hundreds of millions of dollars because of the market distortion," he said. The Hobart zinc smelter also needs to be upgraded, he said. Mr Howell said Nyrstar was "looking for a hand up, not a handout", adding that company management has "tried everything that we can to restructure the business". "This is about investing in strategically important businesses that provide the necessities to modern life and for our strategic defence purposes."
The Sun
19-06-2025
- The Sun
Bumbling ‘arsonists' who try to set fire to a house accidentally set their getaway car ablaze as they try to escape
THIS is the shocking moment a trio of aspiring arsonists accidentally torch their own getaway car. Security footage from southern Australia shows a clumsy man dousing a house with a liquid - before his escape plan goes up in smoke. 4 4 In the video released by South Australia Police, three men are seen pulling up at night outside a fenced-off building in Port Pirie - around 124 miles north of Adelaide. One of the suspects jumps out of the car and begins dousing the home in Solomontown with liquid from a container. Police said: 'As seen in the footage, three male suspects had attended an address in Young Street and doused the front of the residence with accelerant.' Liquid can also be seen spilling onto the pavement as the man carelessly pours out the flammable substance. He then grabs another container from the car, tipping it onto the same area. The man gets back inside the car as the trio make their escape. Suddenly, the inside of the car bursts into flames and begins to roll forward. The three bungling men can be seen bolting out of the car on both sides. Police said the men 'ran off, abandoning the car in the street'. They added: 'It is extremely likely they have suffered significant burns or injuries in the fire and police urge them to seek medical attention. 'Anyone with information about the identity or location of anyone involved in this incident is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.' Moment naked PT chases down arsonist who set fire to three cars on his drive in middle of the night When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the burning car and another fire burning at the front of a nearby home. Both fires were put out using a fire extinguisher. The people inside the house were not injured, although the outside was charred by flames, according to police. It comes as a personal trainer chased down an arsonist after three cars were set on fire outside his house in May. Mike Hind, 41, captured the blaze on his Ring doorbell in the dead of night as his children were sleeping peacefully. The gym coach, who lives in Middlesbrough, posted the footage on social media. A man dressed in joggers can be seen splashing petrol across each of the vehicles, including a Range Rover and Mazda sports car, parked in the driveway at midnight. The vehicles caught fire instantly, with flames spreading across the drive. The doorbell footage then shows an undressed Mike running out of the house as the arsonist, in a black checked shirt, runs from the scene. 4
Daily Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Solomontown, SA: Would-be arsonist man sets himself on fire
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Security camera footage shows the ridiculous moment a group of would-be arsonists accidentally set their getaway vehicle on fire. South Australia Police have released the footage from a residence in Port Pirie, 200km north of Adelaide, showing a car pulling up alongside a fenced-off building at night. A man hops out of the vehicle, which remains idle, and begins to douse the area in liquid. One of the would-be arsonists can be seen here dousing the property in accelerant as the getaway car idles alongside him. Picture: Supplied 'As seen in the footage, three male suspects had attended an address in Young Street and doused the front of the residence with accelerant,' SA Police said in a statement. The man can be seen emptying some form of container onto the residence in the suburb of Solomontown, with liquid spilling onto the footpath. Before he returns to the car, he grabs another container and repeats the process. The inside of the vehicle bursts into flame. Picture: Supplied Footage shows the inside of the vehicle become engulfed in flames as it begins to roll forward, before three perpetrators can be seen spilling out of the vehicle on both sides. SA Police said the men then 'ran off, abandoning the car in the street'. 'It is extremely likely they have suffered significant burns or injuries in the fire and police urge them to seek medical attention,' Police said. Perpetrators flee the vehicle as it rolls driverless down the street and flames spit out of the doors. Picture: Supplied 'Anyone with information about the identity or location of anyone involved in this incident is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.' When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the vehicle on fire and another fire burning at the front of a nearby home. Both fires were extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Police said the occupants of the house were not injured, although the outside of the house had been charred by flames. Originally published as Alleged arsonists accidentally set themselves alight in Port Pirie, SA
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- News.com.au
Alleged arsonists accidentally set themselves alight in Port Pirie, SA
Security camera footage shows the ridiculous moment a group of would-be arsonists accidentally set their getaway vehicle on fire. South Australia Police have released the footage from a residence in Port Pirie, 200km north of Adelaide, showing a car pulling up alongside a fenced-off building at night. A man hops out of the vehicle, which remains idle, and begins to douse the area in liquid. 'As seen in the footage, three male suspects had attended an address in Young Street and doused the front of the residence with accelerant,' SA Police said in a statement. The man can be seen emptying some form of container onto the residence in the suburb of Solomontown, with liquid spilling onto the footpath. Before he returns to the car, he grabs another container and repeats the process. Footage shows the inside of the vehicle become engulfed in flames as it begins to roll forward, before three perpetrators can be seen spilling out of the vehicle on both sides. SA Police said the men then 'ran off, abandoning the car in the street'. 'It is extremely likely they have suffered significant burns or injuries in the fire and police urge them to seek medical attention,' Police said. 'Anyone with information about the identity or location of anyone involved in this incident is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers immediately.' When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the vehicle on fire and another fire burning at the front of a nearby home. Both fires were extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Police said the occupants of the house were not injured, although the outside of the house had been charred by flames.
