The
London Homeopathic Hospital,
The Illustrated London News,
April 1858
by Peter Morrell
The London Homeopathic Hospital,
The Illustrated London News,
April 1858
The London
Homoeopathic Hospital – Great Ormond-Street
Without venturing any opinion respecting the truth of
homeopathy, it cannot be denied that this system of medicine claims
respectful consideration from the medical profession. Its founder, the
late Dr. Hahnemann, is admitted by his opponents to have been a learned
physician and a man of genius. For the last sixty years homeopathy has
been gaining ground in every civilised country in the world. It is
recognised by many Governments, Royal and Republican, in Europe and in
America; and numbers among its friends several thousand physicians [most
of whom were educated in old school physic], many eminent scientific and
literary men, and a considerable proportion of the mass of the people.
Such a system of medicine, although it may, by further investigation, be
proved wanting, deserves something better than ridicule and contempt, by
which new discoveries in science have too often been met.
The
supporters of homeopathy are now striving to establish a large
metropolitan hospital, which shall be conducted according to the
principles inculcated by Hahnemann, which will be a school for
homeopathic students, and which will afford to allopathic physicians the
means of inquiring into the merits of the new doctrine and practice. A
public dinner in aid of the building fund of this charity took place on
Wednesday, April 21 at Willis’s Rooms, when the Duke of Beaufort,
Viscount Lismore, Viscount Maldon, Lord Rokeby, Lord Grey de Wilton,
Lord Cormo Russell, the Hon. R Grosvenor, Mr Truman, MP, Major Blake,
Captain Fishbourne, RN, Mr Pritchard [High Bailiff of Southwark], Mr
Sheriff Rutherford, Dr Quin, Dr Russell, and about 150 other gentlemen,
known as supporters and practitioners of homeopathy in the metropolis
and in the provinces. The usual toasts were given, viz– “The
Queen;” “The Prince Consort and the Royal Family;” and
“The Army and Navy,” responded to by Lord Rokeby and Captain
Fishbourne, who alluded to their experience of the benefits personally
derived by them from homeopathy during their service in the Niger
expedition and in the Crimea. The Chairman then proposed “Success
to the London Homeopathic Hospital,” which was enthusiastically
received.
Lord Beaufort
Robert Grosvenor
[Lord Ebury] and Dr FFH Quin
From the statement of the chairman it appeared that
the institution was opened in 1850, at a house rented for that purpose
in Golden-square, and had been removed, last October, to freehold
premises in Great Ormond-street, WC, purchased for £5,000. During its
existence the hospital had, at an average expenditure of £1,000 a year,
afforded relief to 23,000 sick persons, of whom nearly 1200 were
in-patients. The returns of treatment were stated to prove the
advantages of homeopathy. Thus, while, according to the
Registrar-General, the rate of mortality in the allopathic metropolitan
hospitals is 7.5 per cent, the deaths in the Homeopathic Hospital,
including those from cholera, have not exceeded 4.6 per cent.
The premises recently purchased in Great
Ormond-street are estimated to provide accommodation for almost 200
in-patients, and, when the necessary alterations are completed, there
will be two accident wards, a ward for children, a theatre for a school
of medicine, &c. The estimated cost of these alterations, and of
fittings and furniture, is £4,000, and contributions have been received
which reduce the amount to £2,500. The total receipts since the opening
of the hospital have amounted to £15,000; and the management had thus
far not only defrayed current expenses, but had been enabled to purchase
the new premises, besides investing £800 towards the formation of an
endowment fund. The chairman’s appeal was liberally responded to by
the company, and contributions were announced amounting to £1,000—including
20 guineas from the chairman, 15 guineas from the Duke of Beaufort,
£100 from the Earl of Wilton, and £100 from Captain Felix V Smith.
The Earl of Wilton
Duke of Wellington
“The Memory of Hahnemann, the founder of
homeopathy,” was proposed by Dr. R Russell; “The health of the
Duchess of Cambridge, the patroness of the hospital,” by the Duke
of Beaumont; “The health of the Chairman,” by Dr. Quin;
“The Honorary Secretary, Mr R Buchan,” by the Duke of
Beaufort. Several other toasts were given, and the Duke of Wellington,
on leaving the chair, was loudly cheered.
Duke of Cambridge
Louisa Fairbrother
– Duchess of Cambridge as a young lady c. 1835.
(Wife of the 2nd Duke of Cambridge.)
The musical arrangements were under the direction of Mr G Buckland,
who was assisted by Messrs Lockey, Young and H Buckland.
It may be added that there are homeopathic hospitals in Paris,
Vienna, Berlin, Moscow, and St Petersburg.
The Homeopathic
Hospital St Petersburg
The Illustrated London
News