Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1865.

  • Devonshire Royal Hospital (Buxton, Derbyshire, England)
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1865. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    5/32 (page 5)
    6 -offer a passing testimony of gratitude and respect for the memory of so distinguished a friend and benefactor. The claims of Lord West- minster to have been placed in the position of president, are founded on the time during which, and the extent to which, he has bestowed his liberality on the hospital. The more we hear and see of the charitable spirit with which this great nobleman gives of his vast possessions to churches, hospitals, and dwellings for the working classes, and notice the absence of all parade or pretension with which he fills his position and performs his charities, the more must we feel glad, that his name was to be found among the benefactors of the hospital—to grace and dignify it by his presidency. In addition to his previous benefactions to the building fund, &c.. Lord Westminster gave a donation of £25 to the hospital dur- ing the last year. The name, of Lord Overstone, who kindly sent a do- nation to the hospital, of no less than £50, last September, has been added to the list of vice-presidents. You will observe that the trustees have selected some additional names from the list of subscribers and benefac- tors, to place them in the list of vice-presidents: two of these names, that of the Hon. and Rev. Francis Richard Grey, rector of Morpeth, and that of the Rev. Robert Pennyman Hull Brown, have a time-honoured connection with this charity, as former trustees, and kind friends and ben- efactors, and have been gratefully inscribed in the list of vice-presidents; while those of the members for North Derbyshire, have been very pro- perly added to the number. It should have been mentioned in the report, that the death of Mr. Weigall also occasioned the removal from Buxton of the Rev. Thomas Wilson, B.A., and his resignation of the hospital chaplaincy. Mr. Wilson had been chaplain to the hospital almost from its commencement; had given frequent scriptural expositions to the patients, in addition to the official duties; had very frequently written letters for patients unable to write; and had so often preached sermons on behalf of the hospital, in St. John's Church, that the thanks and good wishes of the trustees are justly due to him. As to the balance sheet, statement of accounts, and general expenditure, there must be always something to be said. It is a gracious task, to point out how well the work of the hospital has been done, and an un- gracious task to say, that it is still felt by the trustees to be capable of some reforms. These subjects have, however, never been lost sight of, are in pretty constant agitation, and are in course of being rectified. They are, after all, of minor degree, chiefly affecting small economies, and the like, and do not touch the paramount objects: namely, the comfort of the patients and the benefits obtained by them. So long as the subscription by which a patient is admitted to all the benefits of the hospital is only one guinea, and the cost at which these are conferred is £1 16s. 5|d., the institution remains intrinsically a charity, as to which it may well be a matter of wonder and thankfulness that it has been maintained in a