The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-11 00:00:00

ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY.

The extreme beauty of the weather brought together
an immense assemblage of distinguished and fashionable
visitors to the first flower show of the season, which
took place yesterday afternoon, in the luncr Circle of
the Regent's Park. The Queen arrived at an early
hour, accompanied by Prince Albert, the Prince of
Wales, the Princess Alice, and the Duchess of Kent.
The royal party, attended by Lord Byron, and the Hon.
Miss Paget, and the Lady Caroline Cocks, the Lords
and Ladies in Waiting upon her 3.lajesty, the Bareness
de Speth, Colonel the Hon. C. Grey, Captain the Hon.
A. Gordon, and Colonel Sir George Couper, was re-
ceived at the Queen's entrance by the Duke of Norfolk,
president of the society, and conducted by his Grace
and the members of the council through the various
marquees comprising the exhibition, and also through
the spacious conservatory and the grounds.
Among the miscellaneous company there were his
Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Prussia, the Count
de Montemolin, the Prince and Princess Metternich,
Baron Hugel, the Marquis of Ailesbury, the Duchess
of Sutherland, the Countess of Mulgrave, Lady L.
Vaughan, Lady Calder, Lady Buxton, Lady Grey, the
Chevalier Bunsen, his Excellency the American Mi-
nister, M. Van de Weyer, Count de Reventlow, the
Marquis of Lisboa, F; 'nee Calimacki, Viscount da Torre
de Moncorvo, Baron and Lady Goldsmid, Lady Brinck-
man, Miss Burdett Coutts, Earl Bandon, the Bishops of
Durham and Winchester, Lord Sondes, Sir George
Staunton, Sir J. Buchan, Sir John Barrow, Lord Tern
pletown, General Sir L. Lushington, and H. J. Hope,
Esq., M.P.
The bands of the Royal Horse Guards and the Ist and
2d Life Guards were in attendance as usual.
The following are the chief of the awards made to the
successful competitors at the exhibition of the plants
and flowers, which were characterised by the judges as
Cully equal to the shows ef any preceding year:—
For a Collection of 30 Plants.—The extra gold medal

to Mr. Fraser, ❑urseryman, Lea Bridge-road:-
For a Collection of 15 Plants.—The medium gold
medal to Mr. Cole, gardener to H. Colyer, Esq.,
Dartford.
For a superb Specimen of Dendrobium
silver medal to Mr. Green, gardener to Sir E. Autrobus,
Bart. _ _ _

Fora new Orchid (Lcslid Majalis).—To Mr. Wil-
liams, gardener to B. Warner, Esq., Hoddesdon.
For a Specimen of the Upas iree (Autiaris Toxi-
caria).—A medal to Messrs. Veitch and Son, nursery
men, Exeter.
For 15 Cape Heaths.—The medium gold medal to Mr.
Hunt, gardener to Miss Trail!, Bromley.
For 12 Cape Heaths.—The gold medal to Messrs.
Fairbairn, nurserymen, Clapham.
For a large Collection or Orchids.—The extra gold
medal to Mr. My.ani, gardener to S. Rucker, Esq.,
Wandsworth.

For 15 Orchids.—Tho medium gold medal to Mr.
Williams.

For 6 Orchids.—The large silver gilt medal tl Mr.
Plant, gardener to J. H. Schroeder, E-q., Stratford.
For 12 Roses.—The first prize to Messrs. Lane and
Son, nurserymen, Berkhampstead.
For 8 Roses.—The first prize to A. Rowland, Esq.,
Lewisham.
For 30 British Ferns.—First prizes (equal) to Mr.
Smith, gardener to J. Anderson, Esq., Regent's-park,
and Mr. Taylor, gardener to J. Custer, Esq., Streatham.
For 12 Pelargoniums—Amateurs.—First prize to Mr.
Cook; second, Mr. Staines.
For 12 Pelargoniums—Nurserymen.—First prize,
Mr. Dobson; second, Mr. Gaines.
For 6 Pelargoniums.—Amateurs.—First prize, Mr.
Staines; second, Mr. Packer; third, Mr. Robinson.
For 9 Pelai•goniums—Nurserymen.—First prize, Mr.
Gaines.
For 6 fancy Pelargoniums.—First prize, Mr. Gaines.
Seedling Pelargouiuuas.—First prizes to Mr. Beech,
Messrs. Veitch and Son, and Mr. Ambrose.
Seedling greenhouse Azaleas.—First prizes to Messrs.
Ivery and Son, and Mr. Fraser.
Seedling Heaths.—First prize to Messrs. Veitch and
Son.
Pansies.—First prize, Messrs. Bragg and Bright;
second, Mr. Turner.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW HOSPITAL.
This ancient hospital, founded in the year 1123, by
Rahere, minstrel of Henry 1., re-founded in 1547 by the
bounty of Henry VIII., was yesterday visited, accord-
ing to annual custom, by the President and Governors.
Although so long a period of time has elapsed since its
first institution, though it has grown rich during the
interval, and with its wealth might be supposed to have
acquired some of those vices with which large revenues
and great age are generally associated, there can be no
doubt that it still retains all its youthful vigour, and
fulfils to the spirit and letter the purpose of its founders,
" moved thereto with great pity for and towards the
relief and succour and help of the poor aged sick, low,
and impotent people lying and going about begging in
the common streets of the city of London and the
suburbs of the same, and infected with divers great
and horrible sicknesses and diseases." Such is the
language of the Royal Chatter, and truly the visitation
of yesterday bears out its terms. Within the space of
300 years the hospital has increased to an enormous
extent. It was first erected to contain 100 beds, arid its
medical staff consisted of a physician and three surgeons
Now it accommodates on an average more than 600
patients. Its medical staff has been proportionately
enlarged; a eollegiate establishment has been connected
with it; and, in every respect, it has adapted itself to
the growing wants of the metropolis, and the increasing
emergencies of science. Among its surgeons, physicians,
and professors are some of the most eminent men in the
profession, and its interests are watched over by a trea
surer whose benevolence and zeal have done more per-
haps than anything else to extend the sphere of its
usefulness.

Yesterday the Lord Mayor, who is virtute officii pre-
sident of the hospital, accompanied by a large body
of Governors, visited the wards, and a more interest
ing and satisfactory inspection it has seldom been our
good fortune to have witnessed. Not only was every
corner of the whole hospital scrupulously clean, but
each room was ventilated in the, most admirable manner,
choice flowers were scattered profusely in every direction,
and the patients, in the midst of all their physical suf-
fering, were evidently in the enjoyment of perfect ex
terms! comfort, receiving attention far greater than they
could possibly command at their own homes, and cared
for in the most benevolent and considerate manlier. Mr.
Bentley (the treasurer), Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Lawrence, and
the other officers of the hospital accompanied the visi-
tors while making their round of the wards, and in each
the patients and their nurses were questioned as to any
ground of complaint which might exist. In e very in-
stance the medical men, Miss Baker, the mairefe and
the poor suffering victims of disease themselves, bore
testimony to the kindness of the treatment they expe-
rienced from the sisters and nurses in attendance ; while
as a stimulus to perseverance in good conduct, the Trea•
surer awarded prizes for good conduct in the following
cases :—Ann Briggs, John's Ward ; Frances Dixon
and Mary Abbott, Queen's Ward ; Elizabeth Church
and Ann Lewis, Faith Ward; Mary Lane, Bentley Ward;
and Mary Duffin, Henry VIII.'s Ward. The rewarde
given were-51. to the sisters and 21. to the nurse's
and it was evident that they were awarded with great
discrimination. Among the remarkable features of the
inspection we noticed the prevalence of erysipelas, cases
of very low type, and also two cases of exceedingly rare
diseases—one of catalepsy, the patient being a boy not
more than seven years old; the other of molilies opium.
The use of chloroform is extensively and successfully
practised in this hospital. We were informed that it
has been administered without the slightest injury in more
than 3,000 cases, and several of the wards were filled
with patients who bore testimony to its efficacy in dead-
ening the pain of- a severe operation.
After the visitors had made the round or the Hospital
they dined in the great hall with the medical officers
and the prize students for the year. The dinner was
supplied in the usual style of the Messrs. Staples, whose
good cheer contributed not a little to the pleasures of
the evening, and to the heartiness with which the dif-
ferent toasts proposed were received. Mr. Toole was
toastmaster.