Health and welfare in St Helena: the contribution of W.J.J. Arnold, Colonial Surgeon, 1903–1925

St Helena is a remote south Atlantic island subject to insular problems of isolation and economic weakness which impact on health and welfare. It has long been British and in 1900 was used as a prison camp for Boers. One of the medical team looking after them was W.J.J. Arnold who remained on the island, as Colonial Surgeon and Acting Governor until his death in 1925. This paper considers the then health and welfare problems of this underdeveloped, isolated population and investigates their amelioration with reference to the work of Dr Arnold.