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 1891 ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., Bath charity report for 1785 ; copies of conveyances of hospital and baths from the seventh Duke of Devonshire to the trustees ; and meteorological report for the year 1891.

  • Devonshire Royal Hospital (Buxton, Derbyshire, England)
Date:
1892
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 1891 ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., Bath charity report for 1785 ; copies of conveyances of hospital and baths from the seventh Duke of Devonshire to the trustees ; and meteorological report for the year 1891. 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.

    17/86 (page 15)
    It is very gratifying to annonnce that the Dake of Devonshire has accepted the ofBce of Patron of the Hospital, at the unanimous request of the Committee of Management. The Members of the Committee of Management are again thankful to be able to report, as it has been their privilege to do year after year, the continually maintained usefulness of this great Hospital; adding, as these important buildings have done, during the last thirty-three years, to the value of the Buxton Bath Charity, by affording board and lodging, and every desirable oare and attendance, medical and otherwise, to the Patients of the ancient Charity, which appears to have been in active usefulness to the sufferers from rheumatism, and its allied or consequent infirmities, during the several preceding Centuries. Eather more than half of these extensive buildings had been occupied as the Devonshire Hospital since the month of September, 1858, under the benevolent kindness of the sixth and seventh Dakes of Devonshire; and the whole of the great structure was obtained in the years 1879-80; and, aided by a munificent grant of £24,000 from the Governors of the Cotton Districts Convalescent Fund, was converted into this large and important Hospital, for which a deep sense of gratitude must be entertained, supplying, as it does, separate beds for 300 Patients, with grand central covered area of half an acre, ample Dayrooms, all needful contiguoas buildings, rooms for Medical Residents, Steward and Matron, Nurses and Servants, Secretary's Offices, Consulting Rooms, &c. The Hospital is believed to be unique in its structural advantages for its remedial and restorative purposes; and its commanding site, detached position, and exceptional and extensive views from all its sides, and its terraced walks and shrubberies, are probably unequalled in the case of any similar Institution. The increased power and usefulness that have been thus obtained, must have aiJorded constant gratification to all who have been concerned in supplying the expenditure required, to all who have been occupied in the work of the Hospital, and to those who have sent the Patients to the Hospital; and to the Patients themselves, must have given a continual sense of comfort and advantage. The experience of the tenth year, since the great extension was practically completed, has more and more confirmed the hopes and expectations of all interested, both as to the powers and opportunities added to the work of this public Charity, as to the number of Patients receivable, and as to the amount of benefit that may have been obtained. During the year 1891, 2351 In-patients have been received. The greater or smaller increases or decreases, that are found to occur from year to year, are probably simply incidental, affected for the most part by accidental circumstances. Bat it should be realised, that, with very few exceptions, nearly all the Patients of the Hospital have their homes in towns and districts at a distance from Buxton ; and that the journey to and fro involves outlay, which may place resort to Buxton beyond the means of some deserving sufferers, even when a recommendation to the Hospital may have rendered any other expense unneoessary. A fund which would provide a return railway ticket to necessitous sufferers, would be a valuable addition to the benefits of the Hospital. The total number of Patients received under the powers of the Cotton Districts Fund during the year has been 401. This number is fewer by 23 than were received under this head during 1890, and fewer by 49 than were received during 1889. It need not be said that this is to be regretted, diminishing so far the amount of benefit to a class of poor working people, for whom the situation of Buxton and the medical powers of its mineral waters have evidently rendered resort to the Hospital conclusively valuable.