Glasgow Maternity & Women's Hospital : 1908.

  • Glasgow Maternity and Women's Hospital.
Date:
[1908]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Glasgow Maternity & Women's Hospital : 1908. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    requirements of Glasgow and the West of Scotland was manifest a number of years ago. Their inexperience of the past, and their knowledge that the wants of the immediate future were almost certain to increase as rapidly if not more rapidly than they had done in the past few years, convinced the directors that the time had arrived when a larger maternity hospital, thoroughly up-to-date in its construction and equip- ment, must be provided. They accordingly addressed themselves to the undertaking, confident that they would not appeal in vain for the large sum of money required for so benevolent an object. A sufficient area of ground in the immediate vicinity of the old hospital in Rottenrow was acquired, and Mr. R. A. Bryden was appointed architect, but before the plans were com- pleted the directors commissioned Dr. D. J. Mackintosh, superintendent of the Western Infirmary, and two members of the visiting staff, Dr. Jardine and Dr. Munro Kerr, along with Mr. R. A. Bryden, to visit the principal maternity and gynaecological hospitals at home and on the Continent, in order that the new institution might embody the latest and best features for the treat- ment of maternity cases. The deputation visited the leading hospitals in this country, and also inspected similar institutions in Paris, Basle, Freiburg, Heidel- burg, Halle, Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, and Hanover. Upon the experience thus gained the new hospital has been designed and equipped. 1 he new buildings form an imposing pile. They stand on a commanding eminence at the top of Montrose Street, fronting that thoroughfare and Rottenrow. In some respects the site presented difficulties to the architect. The ground southwards from Rottenrow falls at a very steep gradient, and this necessitated considerable formation, and the erec- tion of substantial retaining walls to carry the buildings on the higher level. By skilful planning, however, the peculiarities of the situation have been turned to advantage. The several wings of the hospital are arranged in such a manner that throughout the whole interior a splendid light has been secured. In fact,