Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-11 00:00:00

man -must own that it was rather a •?eculiar -name,
&c,, &o. '•The gentleman -did own th i it was a peculiar
name, and that probably no one , else in.
'Liverpool was unfortunate enough (under the circum-
stances) to bear it. But he endeavoured to explain to
them that as there might be two Vanbeest Brown's in
Holland; there might be found a duplicate of his name
somewhere.' not -in -Liverpool. After some further
explanations, he at length succeeded in impressing on
the solicitors the conviction that they had mistaken, and
left the office, to his own full satisfaction at least. A
hope may be expressed that the other Antipholus will
read the NORTHERN' TIMES, see what has occurred,
promptly settle the little bill, and save anybody else of
the same name (if there be yet-a third in existence) from
the possibility 3f earning the title of Martyr; which is
appended to one of his namesakes of au earlier date.

ANNUAL MEETING or THE ROYAL INFIRMARY

,The annual meeting of the Trustees of the Royal
Infirmary was held in the board-room at, ten o'clock,
yesterday. There was a considerable attendance of
trustees. The chair was taken by Edward Gibbons, Esq.
Mr. Robert Hutehison, hon. treasurer of the institution,
read the annual statement of accounts. _

Infirmary patients admitted and discharged from Jan
1, 1858, to Jan. 1,, 1859 :

Patientsin the house, fan. 1, 1858
Admitted during the sear...—.

Discharged— • .
Cured .. .
Relieved, acid at own request ......
Made out-patients ........
Irregular
Died.•• ••••• .... •••••••• ••
Remaining In the house, Jan. 1, 1859

Average weekly number
Admitted dut-patieuts,, 643
Surgical casualties ........ ........ -.810
Lutuitic Asylum patients admitted and discharged from
Jan. 1, (858, to Jan. 1, 1859 :

Number of patients i►► the hoes
Adniitted from Jan. 1, IssB, to Jan.

Jan. 1, 1858
1859 ..

Cured.
....... .....
&fiends request, rellevt
Priends request, not haproved.
'Lied
In the house, Jan. 1„ 1859

5
. .. 60
- -06

Average weekly number in the house.. _6l -
Patients admitted and discharged from the .1,.-•-ck
Hospital from Jars. 1, 1858, to Jan. 1, 1359 :
In the house, "It.nuary,l, 1858
Admitted during the yeur--•

Males .
Females

123
116,

Discharged—
Cured .
Relieved, and at c wn request
Sent home to friends--females
Sent to the Bendvolent House PoOltentiery
Magdalem Arylum, and Workhouse ,
Irregular .
Died .... . .
In the house; anuary 1, 1859

Average weekly number ..........
These returns (helaid) present sesslight a variation from
those of last year that they do net call for any particular
comment. The several bistitutione have named continue to
afford a large amount of relief to The sick and disabled poor
within our community, and •the returnsi have read show
that the benefits they confer are duly .appreciated and
availed .of by (hose for whose benefits they have been
establi&ed. 'With-respect to the preseet financial position
of the charity, I regret to state that the accounts show a
heavy debt; and as the arneunt will be considered, as
it really is, a large and serious one, feel it incum-
bent on me to explain the circumstances under which
it has been incurred. For many years past, and
long previous to the commencement ,of the recent
alterations-the committee bad 'felt the ilamentable defi-
ciency
.that existed within the infirmarrin the respect to
the accommodation provided for the house officials,
especially the nurses, the scanty supply of water, the
want ,oehaths, cisterns, olosets,•and warning rooms, and
unmoving other requisites,. into the detail of which I
need not more particulakly enterat this time, but which
were 'imperatively required for the proper conduct of the
business of the hospital; and although fully alive to the
urgent.necessity of imprimments arid. Iterations upon an
extensive scale, they did not see their way clear in the
then state of the finances of the institution to commit
themselves to an expenditure of which it was impos-
sible 'with any degree of certainty to calculate the
result, .and especially when as regarded repairs and
alterations no builder would send in a contract. In
this state of uncertainty there was a tnatural hesitation
on the part of the committee to enter:upon an expendi-
tnre•df which, from the-varying condition of the buildings,
it was not possible to, sarrive at any ecrrect conclusion ;
but .when at length the-provisions of the Sanitary Act for
Liverpool were brought to their notice, which rendered
it compulsory upon them forthwithilo set about the
drainage of the preMises, the destruction of cesspools,
and establishment of closets in their place, &c., they at
once applied themselves to the task of e-what I may call
restoration. They piked it also most-expedient at this
time to commence upcu those other repairs and altera-
tions(which experience had shown to be necessary, and
which it was evident could be undertaken most con-
veniently at the samertime that the ,drainage was in
progress. These, and other matters of a like nature,
too numerous to detail, have almost -entirely changed
the features of the hospital : and although it is true
that the cost has been great, I trust it will be borne
in mind that to supply a large institution like this
with the requisites in which it was so admittedly
deficient through its entire length and breadth was a
work involving a great .outlay of slow progress, and of
a kind where so much of all description of work was
necessary, that to estimate even its probable cost was a
matter of the utmost ditculty —I might klki, absolute
impossibility. The result of all these important altera-
tions and additions has been that to place . the charity
in a situation free from debt, it is necessary that the
sum of te6,000 should be raised ; of which slim it is
only right that the trustees and the Initlic should
know, that upwards of £t-,500 has been m.pended iu
the manner alluded to, mul in a way in -which, it
is submitted, now that the alterations are brought to
a close, must without doubt contribute materially to
the general welfare and benefit, not only of the
patients but of the charity itself. To meet the obliga-
tions thus resting upon us, I trust that we shall meet with
the approval aud generous support of the public, so far
as to prevent the necessity of further trenching upon our
investment fund, which has already dwindled to an
amount which must be considered very small compared
with the great results sought to be accomplished by the
charity to which it belongs. I might here rpnistrlc that

there has already been Fr marked ;7-edriction during the
past year in the ordinary expet:diture of the house,
and which is to be attributed in a great measure to ,the
very alterations ,in question. For nvself sir, I have not
the slightest fear for the future continued success of this
institution. The care of the poor, and espccially.of the
sick poor, is a cause that commends itself to the cont&
Aerate sympathy of every Christian community, and has
..ever formed a leading feature, -and been enforced as a
duty in every scheme of religion that ;has at any time
been propounded to any civilised nation; and I cannot
doubt but that the people of Liverpool •will come for-
ward as is their wont to strengthen the hands of
those who are engaged in dispensing their charity
and by an extraordinary..effort enable the committee to
wipe out the debt which at present stands against the
institution. I may add, in conclusion, that having had
the opportunity
.within a zlery recent peried of visiting
most o the principal hospitals in. the great ,centres of
medical science —Paris, London, Edinburgh, and the
provinces—l can safely affirm that for its size the
" Liverpool Royal Infirmary" stands unrivalled in its
accommodations for the patients and inmates, its general
arrangements, and all those requisites which go to consti-
tute a well-regulated and well-appointed hospital. There
are few indeed that can vie with it—certainly none that
surpass it.
Tho Chairman moved that the statement of accounts
be passed, and took occasion to remark that the deficiencies
to supply which so much money had been required, had
been for a long time felt, and Imperatively demanded
remedy .

Mr. Cropper seconded the motion, and stated that the
committee had to deal with a very ill-regulated building
when they set about the alterations which had been
completed. He wished the subscribers would now all
visit the institution, that they might see how perfect its
arrangements had been made.. •
The motion was carried.

Formal votes of thanks were moved to the late presi-
dent, Mr. John Stewart ; to the treasurer, Mr. Robert
Hutchison (who was-requested and consented to continue
in his office) ;to the medical officers; and-to the Rev.
Henry John Garrod. The Rev. Mr. Garrod, in replying,
took occasion to thank the treasurer, Mr. Hutchison, for
his liberality in fitting up, at his own expanse, the room
set apart for Divine worship, in a manner appropriate to
its purpose. The Chairman expressed similar sentiments.
Mr. Henry Lawrence was elected president for the
coming year. Tho medical officers and the outgoing
members of the committee were re-elected.

The proceedings then closed, with a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

We were afforded an opportunity of inspecting the alte-
rations made in the arrangements of the institution. They
are of a character which fully deserve the descriptions
given of them by members of the committee, and which
lake the amount sent 14 effecting them seem anything