Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-18 00:00:00

SOUTITYZRN HOSPITAL

meeting of ti subscribers to this institu-
tion was held at two o'clock, yeeterday, in the Clarendon-
The elm' was taken by It. L. Jones, Esq., the
president of the institation.
The Rev. Mr. Rertle read the

The annti

rooms

A reference to the appended return,
carefully prepared by the
House Surgeon, will at once indicate the member and severitj
of the cases treated during the past year. The severity has been
above the average, especially in the medical cases, so that in
spite of the utmost skill and care, the number of deaths has
amounted to 86, or nearly 2} per cent. on the whole number.
The ventilating apparatus, which had got out of repair, has
been (at a considerable but necessary outlay) improved and
rendered thoroughly efficient ; and by the substitution of gas
for a coal fire in the shaft, it is hoped that the current expendi-
ture will be materially lessened.
A washing machine and a sewing machine have been added to
the furniture of the Hospital, which it is emulated, will soon
repay the outlay by the saving of labour and of wear.
The Honorary Medical Board have kindly presented a gym-
nastic apparatus for the use of the convalescent patients, winch,
it is believed, tends to accelerate the perfect use of their limbs,
and consequently to shorten the period of recovery.
The nurses of the surgical wards have been placed under the
supervision of a superior nurse, responsible to the matron,—an
arrangement which is found to ensure a more complete and exact
attention to the prescribed treatment of the patients, as well as
a more economical use of the drugs and stores.
The committee are at last able to announce to the trustees and
subscribers that the recognition of the hospital by the Royal
College of Surgeons, which has for so many years been desired,
in order to place it on its proper foating in relation to other
similar institutions, has at length been effected; the number of
occupied beds for a period of six months having exceeded one
hundred, the requisite recognition was at once obtained. In
order to attract pupils to the hospital, however, which was one
of the main objects in view, it appears that a similar recognition
must be obtained also from the Society of Apothecaries, which
requires, as a further condition, the appointment of a second
honorary physician. As this would not of itself involve any
additional expenditure, the committee would at once have pro-
ceeded to make the appointment, at the unanimous suggestion of
the honorary medical board; but a glance at their financial
position made them feel it t 3 be their duty to pause before taking
a step which would seem to commit the hospital still more deeply
to the increased scale of expenditure already incurred by the
addition of about 22 to the average number of inmates. At the
commencement of last year there was a balance of about £BOO in
the hands of the treasurer; at the commencement of the present
year, although sn unusually large amount' has been received in
the precarious form of legacies and donations, all of which have
been expended, the hospital is now barely out of debt, and the
annual subscriptions have actually fallen off to the extent of
about LlOO ; so that, to goon at the same rate of expenditure, a
prudent treasurer would need an addition of at least £l,OOO to the
present certain income.

-The strenuous and noble efforts which were made by a few in-
dividuals in past years to get the hospital out of debt, make it
an imperative duty to its present managers to keep it so ; and
the committee strongly feel that only two. courses are legiti-
mately open, either to succeed in raising a very considerable
addition to the certain income, or to retrace the step which has
been ventured upon in mistaken reliance on increased support,
and to lower the scale of the institution to the limits of its
funds. This latter alternative the committee are very unwilling
to contemplate. To lessen the scope of the hospital, while the
surrounding population increases, would seem anomalous and
disgraceful ; and to maintain the building and the necessary
staff of officials for a restricted number of patients, would seem
an extravagant application of their fu.lds ; such a position of

affairs would seefiito afford an unanswerable argument in favour
of maintaining hospitals (especially those for the treatment of
severe accidents in the localities where they occur) by a public
rate, exacted impartially from the whole community which they
benefit, instead of leaving them to the spontaneous generosity of
the benevolent few.

The committee are sometimes vaguely told that many persons
would willingly contribute their quota, if they were only asked.
They beg respectfully to urge that it is just as much the duty of
all who can afford it, to volunteer their aid, as it is that of those
who alrealy gave much time and mony to find them out and ask
them. The labour of an effectual personal canvass is very great,
and often very thankless.

The committee earnestly request every one into whose hands
this may fall to make known, as he has opportunity, the indis-
pensable value and the urgent needs of the hospital ; and to b:ar
in mind that, by the treasurer, or any member of the committee,
or by the house surgeon at the hospital itself, or by the collector,
Mr. Townshend, 60, Castle-street, any donation or annual sub-
scription will always be thankfully received and regularly
acknowledged.

ntal lumber of _Patients for Year ending Dec. 31, 1858
In. Out. Total. Cured. Relieved. I
.1: -1

ME
---
Surgicalcases.„l,233 ... 1,718

Total 1,693... 1,829...
Still under treatment 76
Of the 86 deaths which occurred in the hospital, 12 took place
within twenty-four hours after admission; fully 40 of the eases
were quite hopeless from the commencement, consisting chiefly
of medical cases, viz., the worst forms of scurvy and chest
affections. Several of the deaths occurred in severe surgical
cases, requiring critical operations, in which the life of the
patient is necessarily in great danger.
Severe cases of submersion, suffocation, fractures of the skull,
spine, &c., have been numerous, and although many of them
have rallied and recovered, several have unavoidably died.
N.B.—Old linen and calico being much wanted, is at all times
a most valuable clonation, saving a large outlay in lint. Books
and tracts, including those of a cheerful and amusing character,
will also be thankfully received for the use of the patients.
Mr. Samuel Rathbone moved that the report and
statement of accounts (which was seconded by the
treasurer, Mr. Houghton,) be adoptdd.
The motion was carried.

Resolutions, conveying the thanks of the meeting were
propOsed and passed to the president, Mr. R. L. Jones;
to the treasurer, Mr. James Houghton; to the Rev. Mr.
Leveson, the chaplain ; to the honorary medical officers ;
to the clergy and dissenting ministers, who had advocated
the claims of the institution during the past year; to
the house surgeons and-matron for their zeal and atten-
tion. The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to
the chairman.