Captain Peter Troake

Captain Peter Troake was born in Durrel, Twillingate on June 16th, 1908. For over 20 years he was the captain of the M.V. Christmas Seal. Captain Troake was a well respected sealing captain. He was very familiar with the waters of Newfoundland. As captain of the M.V. Christmas Seal, Peter Troake was the perfect person to help educate people about TB. People trusted him. Captain Troake once had TB himself. Part of the lower lobe of his left lung had been removed. People felt that if Captain Troake said it was important for them to get an x-ray, then they should do it.

The M.V. Christmas Seal was a busy boat. During one three year period it visited 1300 communities.¹³ Troake took it upon himself to encourage people to get an x-ray. In a book about his life, he described how he convinced people:

On the Christmas Seal we had to persuade. There was the x-rays. The younger people didn't have that much ado about it, but their parents! There was the middle aged, you might have to do some talking to those. Talk about fishing and things, and then about TB. But the toughest we had was people my age--75 to 80 years of age.

"Skipper, you know this is not for me. I'm too old to get an x-ray."

And then I'd say, "You know, it's for everyone. It's a duty." I said, "If you call yourself someone, you make sure that you come. You could have chronic tuberculosis." And after I had my lower lobe removed, I told them how it saved me.... I gave them a strong pitch. I said, "Look, if you got tuberculosis you can have it in your lungs. You could cough, spit or blow into someone's face, and even your little one could get it. And the little ones would die of tuberculosis and perhaps TB meningitis. You don't have to listen to me, this is what the doctors told me."

Some would say, "Boy, if it's like that, I'll have an x-ray."¹⁴