The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-30 00:00:00

REPORT.

The return of New Year's Day brings again the duty of
taking a retrospective view of the twelve months just past, of
estimating the good which has been done, the numbers relieved,
the expenditure incurred, and the prospect row presented by
the St. Anne's Dispensary and Eye and Ear Institution.
During the past year, a marked increase of usefulness has
been apparent in the Eye and Ear Institution, as well as in
the General Dispensary. The number of peients has been
greater than in any former year, and surgical cases of a
serious nature, requiring more attendance and more constant
watching from the house surgeon, as well as from the
honorary officers, have been especially remarkable : amongst
these—amputation of limbs, the removal of tumours, disease of
the breast, operations for various forms of dropsy, for rupture,
,and for stone in the bladder, are especially worthy of mention.
Of late, the number of accidental injuries, and injuries from
violence, treated at the institution, has been very great; and
no inconsiderable portion of the time of the house Surgeon
has been occupied in attending inquests and subsequent
trials at tLe assizes or sessions. On this account, as well
as for other grave reasons connected with the too numerous
duties of the house surgeon, the appointment of an
assistant house surgeon, to secure the constant presence in
the institution of a duly qualified practitioner, is now
looked upon by your committee as indispensable, inasmuch
as it is obvious that the development of tho institution should
keep pace with the growing wants of the community in its
neighbourhood, the recent and rapid increase of which is a matter
of general remark. One of the most interesting features of the
surgical practice of the institution is seen in the very great
number of fractures and dislocation constantly attended to by
the surgeons of the establishment: Some idea of the
importance of this branch of the practice may be formed
from the fact, that the late house surgeon, alone, treated,
during little more than one year, upwards of 250 cases
of fractures and dislocations of the bones and joints.
The rigorous economy which is absolutely necessary in
the working of this institution, as in former years, has been
most closely observed during the year just passed ; an d
every effort has been made by the directors, aided by the
medical officers, to extend the usefulness of the charity with
the least possible addition to its expenditure. The 'following
table may give some idea of the remarkably small outlay
of this important charity, of its increasing and steadily
progressive usefulness, and thus of the difficulties which
the directors have constantly to surmount, and not less of
the important and arduous duties of all the medical staff:---
YEAR. PATIENTS. EXPENDITURE.
1849
1850.... ....

1851 9 200
___

.4152
1853... . ...... 9,610..
1854
606 5 5

1855. ..11,310...
1856.
The income of the Institution for the same period has
been as follows, viz. :
snfiSpRIPTIONS. DONATIONS.
1849 ...£IW 4 6 , £289 13 0 ... £416 7 6
1850 ... 185 19 6 ..•• 185 18 8 381 19 6
1851.... 205 12 49.... 156 11 8 .... 391 4 Of
1852.... 203 16 6 ...• 333 13 1 •••• 537 11 7
1853.... 202 11 9 ... 268 11 7 • • • • 371 3. 4
1854.... 208 14 3 194 2 101.... 402 17 lf
1855.... 256 11 0 231 11 3 ... 488 2 3
1856.... 251 0 3 .... 277 2 9 .... 528 3 0
A few years ago, a great proportion of the supporters of this
charity were inhabitants of the northern and eastern, or Ever-
ton, divisions of Liverpool ; now the committee are happy to
find that the friends of the establishment are more widely
spread ; that the benefits of the institution, al an important
charity of the " Good Old Town," are generally recognised ;
that subscriptions are gladly given by many who know its
usefulness, without dwelling near to it ; and it is their espe-
cial wish by every possible means to extend this favourable
appreciation of an institution, the growth of which many of
them have long watched, of the importance of which they are

convinced, and the onward progress of which they so ardently
desire. The sum raised during the past year by the accumulation
of the penny contributions of the patients amounted to £125
lls. 6i. Everything relating to the wet king of this first
step towards a aelf-sapporting institution has hitherto been
most satisfactory. As formerly stated, it helps economy of
medicines, and is, upon the whole, most satisfactory to the
patients themselves; while, at the same time, it is quite
obvious it secures an important and permanent addition to the
annual income of the charity. The best acktsowlegments of
the committee ate due to those ministers of religion who have in
numerous ways aided the cause of this charity, and especially for
the collections, or proportions of them, made in their respective
churches and chapels. The grateful thanks of the committee
are likewise due for the various legacies, donattons, and new
subscriptions noticed in the statement of the accounts.
At the last annual meeting the total want of hospital
accommodation in the north eastern part of Liverpool was
alluded to ; this want has been much felt during the course of
the last year, and especially so in connection with the accidents
and serious cases brought to this institution, many of which
have been compelled to remain for hours together placed, per-
haps, on a sofa or table, for want of suitable beds, while the
requisite attention was being given to the immediate effects of
some serious injury, or of some sudden attack of formidable
disease. The necessity of making suitable arrangements for
putting up a small number of beds in this indention is now so
obvious and so urgent, that longer delay would be attended
with serious inconvenience; indeed, this division of the
town seems to have an especial claim on the efforts of
the benificent at the present time ; and, for reasons that
are so obvious, that they scarcely require to be mentioned.
For those, however whose attention has not hitherto been
directed to this important subject, it may be as well to state, that
in the smith of Liverpool there is hospital accommodation of
considerably more than 1,000 beds, while in the north the
number is only 100 ; that this 100 is on the north west of the
town ; while in the north east, or the locality of the St. Anne's
Dispensary and Eye and Ear Institution, there is no such
accommodation at all ; so that, in this district, when serious
accidents occur, requiring patients to be placed as speedily as
possible in bed without removal to any great distance, it is
often exoeedingly difficult to know how they are to be dealt
with, or in what direction they are to be sent; and with regard
to this charity, the occasional result is that they are placed in
lodgings opposite, or near to the Dispensary, at the expense of
the surgeon whose aid they seek, or of some benevolent friend
who espouses their cause. The committee would earnestly
urge this matter to the benevolent consideration of the friends
of this important and progressive charity, upon whom they
confidently rely for that pecuniary aid, and those active
personal exertions, which, alone, can meet the wants so long
since apparent. This report may be closed with the gratifying
statement, that while the number of deaths in the last year has
been smaller than in the year 1855-294 instead of 329
the average life of the deceased has considerably increased, this
being sixteen years and one month, instead of thirteen years
and nine months. Viewing the past with some degree of
satisfac+ ion, your committee look to the future of the institution
with very great hope, constantly trusting to the Divine blessing,
and with it to the progress which they have every reason to
think the charity will make under the guidance of their
esteemed successors, supported as they will be by the advantages
belonging to a wealthy community, whose benificence keeps
pace with that commercial greatness, for which the world has
scarcely a rival,
He also submitted the financial statement, from which it
appeared that there had been received during the year—
subscriptions, '251 Os 3d ; donations, .4'75 3s 6d ; collec-
tions £5B 4s 3d ; and in pence, £143 15s ; making the
total receipts £528 3s. The chief expenditure was £229
lls 4d for medicine, and there isearried over in favour of
the institution a balance of .e 25 lls Bd.

The Mayor moved that the report be adopted.
Mr. R. Haydock seconded the motion, which-was unani-
mously adopted.
Mr. Councillor Mellor moved that the thanks of the
meeting be given to the President, Vice-President, and
committee, for their services to the institution during the
past year. It appeared, he observed, from the report
which had been read that a very large amount of good
was done at a very small expense through the dispensary,
the average expense for medicine and attendance to each
patient being not more than 6d per head ; and it was very
evident that to produce so satisfactory a result the
greatest attention must have been paid to the interests of
the institution by those who had its management. (Hear,
hear.) In the presence of such a fact he thought he would
have no difficulty to induce the meeting to adopt unani-
mously the resolution which he had moved. (Hear.)
Mr. Middlehurst seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously adopted.
The Rev. Dr. Hume moved that the warmest thanks of
the meeting be given to the honorary medical officers for
their zeal and attention to their important duties during
the year. In doing so, he said that he happened to know
something:of the attention which medical officers had to
pay to an institution of that kind, and of the great and
continuous strain that was necessary to keep up its
prestige. When he saw one of the honorary medical
officers of the institution selected to fill a very important
office in the town—selected, too, in the most handsome
manner, he considered that it was indirectly a proof of
the good sense of the committee of the institution which
many years ago elected him one of its prominent officers.
(Hear, hear.) lie (Dr. Hume) was sensible of the great
good that had been done by the institution ; mixing him-
self a good deal among the poor, he had the opportunity,
which, perhaps, other gentlemen. of the committee had
not, of seeing the very large extent of benefit conferred
on the community by it. (Hear, hear.) It was in
connection with this institution that a very singular fact
had been brought to light in 1853. They now knew that
human life might be made to extend to an average of
upwards of fifty-two years, for they had it ascertained
that of all the members of the Society of Friends that
were born and died in the town fifty.two years and
upwards was the average life. They knew, too, that in
Liverpool, in 1847, the average life of all who were born
and died in it was twenty years and a few months ; but
what would they think when he told them that the
average life of all the patients iu connection with the
institution in 1853 was fourteen years eleven months I
What a frightful picture did that give them of some of
the dark parts of their town, full of unhealthiness, full of
suffering, without any of the conveniences or comforts of
life! In these figures there was a whole volume contained
of the history of the poor in certain parts of this town.
(Hear, hear.) He felt that great credit was due to the
committee, and especially to their friend Mr. Kitchen—
(hear, hear)—for the extent and value of their efforts ;
but it was only paying a just merit of praise to the
honorary medical officers for the task which they had so
ably and zealously accomplished to recognise their ser.
vices in a formal resolution. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Godfrey seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted.
On the motion of Mr. Haydock, seconded by Mr
Watts, thanks were unanimously voted to the ministers
of religion who had advocated the claims of the institution
in their respective places of worship, and also to the
gentlemen whose donations were recorded in the
treasurer's accounts. •

Dr. Watts observed that the medical officers were puch
indebted to the ministers of religion whom they met in
the discharge of their duties, and who very frequently
directed their attention to cases of distress requiring
medical relief. Their attention was also directed to such
cases by scripture readers ; and to his own knowledge
many valuable lives in that locality had been saved.
'Mr. Kitchen said that they were aware that their friend
Dr. Nottingham had been elected to the Southern
Hospital. As one of the committee he (Mr. Kitchen).
regretted the circumstance on the part of the institution,
though at the same time it should be gratifying to him to
have been elected to so important a position. (Hear,
hear.) They owed much to Dr. Nottingham for his long
and valuable services to the institution, and he therefore
'begged to move tbat, in consideration pf his services, Dr.
Nottingham be elected consulting surgeon to the charity.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Barton seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted.
Mr. Kitchen announced that there were now two
vacancies for honorary medical officers to the charity,
which would be filled up next,month,
Mr. Godfrey asked if they intended to advertise them ?
Mr. Barton replied in the affirmative.l
Dr. Watts moved a vote of thanks to the honorary
secretary and treasurer, Mr. Kitchen, for his services to
the charity, In doing so, he observed that the institution
would, long before thin, have dropped into oblivion t'ad it
not been for the energy of Mr. Kitchen, who had exerted
himself on various occasions, and under various circum-
stances, to relieve it from the distress with which it was
threatened. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Gilbert seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted.
On the motion of Mr. Barton, the committee for the
ensuing year was appointed. The new members elected
were—Messrs. Mellor, Crosthwaite, Glynn, and Rayner.
Mr. Kitchen then moved, that the thanks of the meeting
be given to the Mayor, for the kind manner in which he
had consented to preside over it—(hear, hear)—and in
doing so bore testimony to the readiness which his Wor-
ship exhibited on all occasions to forward the charity.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Barton seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation.

The Mayor briefly expressed his aelmowledgement for
the honour.

Before separating, Mr. Kitchen begged that the special
attention of the public would be drawn to the absence
of hospital accommodation in the north east end of the
town, as shown in the report. In the south and south-
east portions of the town there was hospital accommoda-
tion, supplying 1,000 beds ; in the north•west, the
Northern Hospital supplied 100 beds ; while in the north-
eastern portion of the town, which contained a population
of nearly 100,000 inhabitants, there was not an hospital
bed. In conclusion, he urged that it would be well if all
the medical institutions of the town were amalgamated
and properly distributed throughout it; and if that were
not done, that a sum of money should be collected, and
an hospital, in which the St. Anne's Dispensary could be
merged, erected in the north-eastern portion of the town.
(Hear, hear.)
The Mayor said that he would be happy to aid in the
promotion of any such object. (ltar, hear):
;,;The meeting then separated. ,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL.

BEFORE MR. MAINVFIELD.

OBTAINI7IG MONEY.—James Johnston was charged with
having obtained £2 by means of false pretences. Mr.
Campbell detended. A Mr. John Troke, stated that be
sent goods to the above amount to a Mr. Bradbury, and in
the evening, the prisoner went without any authority, and
drew the money, sending in a hill, and giving a receipt for
the cash. In reply to Mr. Campbell, the prosecutor said
the goods consisted of eottoa tares. The 'witness said he
was not qaite eompos ntentus from drink at the time, but he
was " wide awake" enough to know that the money was
his', and that he had not got it. Mr. Campbell cross
examined the witness at some length, about some
dealings between him and the prisoner. The officer
who had the prisoner in charge, said the complainant offered
to let the prisoner go, if he paid him the money. The
complainant admitted that he went to two persons, friends
of his, to bail out the prisoner, after he had locked him up.
After some discussion, the prisoner was dischargad, as Mr.
Campbell showed there was some sort of partnership
between the parties.
A BAD LITTLE GIRL,—A nice looking little girl, named
Bridget Bearde, about nine years of age, was chartfed by
her father with stealing two dresses. It appeared that the
child was the eldest of three, and the mother was dead for
over two years. The child used to be left in charge of the
others, in the absence of the poor father, who is a hard
working, honest man. Some bad persons got accpainte d
with the child, and induced her to steal and pledge every.
thing she could lay ler hands on, On one occasion be got
no less than nine pawn tickets of goods which belonged to him,
which she had pledged. He did not know what to do with
the child, as all he could do had failed to reclaim her. The
dresses in question belonged to the child's mother, and the
poor father had kept them very carefully. Mr. Mansfield
ordered the child to be remanded, with the view of having
her sent to a reformatory.
A VERY " HoNouBABLE" LADY.—A female who gave
her name as Catherine Williams, was charged with stealing
ss. from another female of questionable character, named
Ann Fletcher, in a "gay house," in Finch street. The
complainant stated that on the previous evening, she in
company with a gentleman, went to No. 57, Finch street,
kept by a Mrs. Litbgo. The gentleman left, and she
agreed to stop all night in the house, but before doing so
she gave one servant a half sovereign, and never received
the change. She also placed 5s on the dressing table, and
that remained there until the morning, but when she was
lacing up her boots the prisoner went into the room and
took up the ss, and immediately after attempted to escape,
but the prosecutrix followed her and gave her in
charge of a policeman. The prisoner admitted the
statement made by the prosecutrix, except as to taking
the money, which she positively denied. The prosecutrix,
however, persisted in her statement that she saw the
prisoner, another servant in the establishment, take the
money. She followed her directly, and accused her with
the theft. She had been in the habit of visiting this house,
and believed Mrs. Litbgo to be a most honourable lady,
although at the same time she was lying drunk in the
kitchen, and did not know what was going on. (Ir. is scarcely
necessary to state that this definition of the qualifications
requisite for an " honourable lady" caused a great amount
of laughter in the court.) Mr. Mansfield said he did not
ee any cause to doubt the statement of the complainant, as
there did not appear any motive for her to make a false
charge. The money, no doubt, was her own, although
she got it in a way that was not to be commended, and it
was a wicked act to rob her of it. He then ordered the
prisoner to be imprisoned for three months, with hard
labour.