An inaugural address, delivered at the opening of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Museum, September 10, 1845 / [John Cross].

  • Cross, John, 1790-1850
Date:
[1846?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural address, delivered at the opening of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Museum, September 10, 1845 / [John Cross]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    mere business or lucrative part of that profession, to which he was so ardently attached. Having in view, no doubt, his favourite project, the establishing of this Hospital, he many years before suggested how such Institutions might be made most beneficial, by being converted to the education of pupils, by the surgeons delivering lectures on extraordinary cases, various in¬ struments being collected for inspection, with anato- tomical preparations, and a suitable selection of books in a room specially provided.* Could the spirit of Ben¬ jamin Gooch, so long departed, be permitted to revisit us—could it animate that picturef now before us, and commune with the present assembly, looking around upon the valuable contents, the appropriate furniture of this spacious apartment, in what ecstacy would it address us! Finding the plans of his powerful mind more than realized, J Gooch would again, not more honestly, but more emphatically, congratulate the Governors on the satisfaction they must feel, in having aided, and sanctioned, and warmly supported every measure, that has contributed to so noble a result! I must however refrain, lest I enlarge into a memoir what ought to be only a passing sketch. His mortal remains are scat¬ tered—his spirit will return only to our imaginations— no bust can be obtained—but—the striking portrait of this zealous and able surgeon, with whose energies and talents the founding of the Norfolk and Norwich Hos¬ pital is so intimately identified, ought permanently to ornament the walls of this Museum Roomy supported by * Postscript to vol. 2. p. 11. f Gooch’s Portrait, by a Norwich Artist, was pointed to in this passage of the address, being placed in the gallery and directly opposite the platform from which the address was delivered. t There is one exception to the fulfilment of Benjamin Gooch’s plans. Although we possess in Norwich one of the best medical libraries to be found in the provinces of the British Empire, there is at present no library within the walls of the Hospital; but the defect is likely to be soon removed. On the day of the inauguration the first contribution was received, an illustrated work, presented by Mr. Firth, Surgeon; Mr. Donne has offered the volumes he still possesses, part of the valuable library of his ancestor, the first Surgeon to the Hospital; and Mr. Page Nicol Scott, the oldest practitioner now resident in Norwich, has most handsomely contributed the surgical part of his own library.