The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-07 00:00:00

[PRICE 4D. STAMPED SD•

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, GRAY'S-INN

LANE.

The Twenty-eighth Annual General Meeting of the
Go7ernors and subscribers of this chetrity was held at the
Hospital on Tuesday week. The meeting Wai presided
over by Mr. Spottiswoude, one of the vice-presidents of
the institution.

Mr. FENN, the secretary, read the report of the com-
mittee of management for the past year. The report
stated that, though in some respects the public events
of the day had tended to diminish the amount of sup-
port upon which this, in common with other charities of
the metropolis, had hitherto been accustomed to rely,
the committee had, nevertheless, been enabled so to con-
duct the affairs of the institution, that at the close of
the year they had the satisfaction of congratulating the
friends and supporters of the charity upon having
achieved an amount of benefit to the suffering poor, in-
ferior only to the preceding year, and mere than equal
te that which they had had the happiness to aecomplish
in any former year. The number of patients relieved
during the past year had amounted to 39,891. It
would be in. the recollection of the public that, after the
death of the late Duke of Sussex, a subscription was en-
tered into for the erection of a monument to his memory,
and after several meetings of the subscribers, it was de-
cided that the most suitable mode of carrying out the
object would be the erection of a wing to the Royal
Free Hospital, to be called the " Sussex 'Wing," with a
statue of his Royal rfighness in front. That important
work had been commenced during the past year, and.
was nearly oompleted. The committee had by &sans
of legacies, received during the year, bees enabled to pay
off a considerable portiou of the debt, unavoidably in-
curred by the great pressure on the charity in the years
1853 and 1854. The practice adopted of supplying des-
titute patients on leaving the hospital with clothes and
small sums of money continue 1 to preduce the moat
gratifying results, more espetikelly amenget unfortunate
females, many of whom had teen restored to their fami-
lies and friends. The committee had pleasure in calling
the attention of the governors to the services of
the honorary medical officers Drs. Brinton and
Hassan, physicians ; Messrs. Marsden, M.D., Weedon
Cooke, De Meric, &a., surgeons, who bad devoted their
time and attention during the past year to the patients
committed to their care. In consequence of the reduced
number of indoor patients (occasioned by the necessity
of proceeding with the new building), the committee
gladly acceded to the request of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, to strengthen the medical staff in the Crimea, and
readily granted the services of four of their medical
officers to that important object—one of whom, after an
absence of fifteen months, has just returned, and will
shortly resume his duties. The committee congratulated
the governors on having obtained the services of the
Rev. J. B. Owen, a clergyman of the highest profes-
sional qualifications, as chaplain, and the report con-
cluded by the committee congratulating the governors
on the continued success of the charity, and humbly
hoping that it would, under God's blessing, continue to
prosper ; and that, as it proceeded, its usefulness might
be more felt and acknowledged by the public at large,
its efforts more effectually sustained by the benevolent,
and its benefits more widely diffused amongst the
afflicted.

From the financial statement it appeared that there
had been, during the year, received in annual subscrip-
tions 1.4541. 10s. 6d., in donations 2,1311. 12s. 10d.,
and in legacies 2,6581. 14s. 7d., making a total of 6,2441.
17s. 11d., while there had been expended in payment of
eld debts 2,4861. 7s. 5d., and in payments for the year
1855, 3,745/. 2s. 3d., making a total of expenditure dur-
ing the year of 6,2311. 94. Bd.
The medical report of the number of patients relieved
by the charity, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 1855, was next
read, from which it appeared that during that time there
had been admitted into the hospital—
Persons afflicted with malignant and contagious
diseases
Persons labouring under various disorders
Accidents relieved, and the parties sent home 1,430
Patients under the dentist

39,039

In addition to the above, there have been 693
totally destitute persons admitted into the
wards, of whom 57 have died, and 636 have
been discharged cured or relieved
The number of accidents admitted for a brief
period into the wards was 109, of whom 18
died and 91 were cared or relieved

Making a total 0f... 39,891
which, added to those admitted in former years, made a
total of persons admitted into the hospital since its com-
mencement of 521,493.

Mr. BRUGIC then moved that the report he approved
of, printed, and circulated, together with the financial
statement and medical report; and Mr. Fine having
seconded the motion, it was put from the chair and
unanimously agreed to.
line thanks of the meeting having been then awarded
to the committee of management for the past year, to
the treasurer, Mr. Masterman, M.P., who was re-cleated,
and to the auditors,
Mr. PRITCHARD, High Bailiff of Southwark, said Ise
had to propose a vote of thanks to a gentleman which
he did act rise to do as a mere mattr of routine, for the
gentleman he had referred to had rendered great and
efficient service to the institution, and it was, therefore,
right and proper that, at the close of another year of hie
distinguished services, they should at least give expres-
sion to the appreciation in which they held those ser-
vices, and the interest he took in the institution. The
gentleman he referred to was Dr. Marsden, the founder
of the charity; and he begged to propose that the cordial
thanks of the meeting be given to him for the interest
he continued to take in the institution, and the valuable
services he was continually rendering to it.
Mr. HoorEa having seconded the resolution, it was
put from the chair, and cordially agreed to.
Dr. MIREMEN, in acknowledging the compliment,
stated that he had now arrived at the twenty-eighth
year of his service to the institution, and he rejoiced
to think that while his powers, mental as well as
physical, might be on the decrease, the powers
of the institution were increasing rapidly. There was a
pleasing circumstance connected with the meeting, and
it had struck him only since he cattle into the room—it
was the pleasure he felt at seeing Mr. Spottiswoode in
the chair. He called upon that gentleman at the com•
mencement of the institution—before the doors of it
were opened—in order to request his support to
it. That support was readily given, Mr. Spottiswood
becoming an annual subscriber of ten guineas, mei
promising all the assistance he could give, and
it gave him much pleasure to see him now presid-
ing over them. Another circumstance in connection
with the institution ho must allude to. Frequently when
lie (and, lie had no doubt, other friends of the institution
met with the same remark) is talking of the FreeHospitnt,
be is asked what makes it entitled to the appellation
of free more than any other in London ? Was not
Bartholomew's and Guy's Hospitals as free to destitute
persons as it ? Now, to some extent, this was so ; but,
in considering the point, they must go back to the state
of matters which prevailed at the time this hospital
was founded. At that time there was not such a thing
as free admission to the destitute sick iu any
hospital in London ; but he was happy to say
that the example this institution had set had
compelled the old aid richly-endowed institutions
to relax their rules and regulations, and to become to a
certain extent free. (Cheers.) Therefore, they had not
only been the means of relieving upwards of half a mil-
lion of sick and destitute individuals, but they had also
been the cause of throwing open all the hospitals in
London to the destitute.

A vote of thanks was next passed to the honorary
medical officers, Drs. Brinton, Hassall, Glover, and
Bennet, and Messrs. T. Wakley, Weedon Cooke, De
Meric, A. Marsden, J. S. Garugee, T. Carr Jackson, to
which Mr. W. Cooke, and Mr. A. Marsden (who has
newly returned from the Crimea) responded.
Dr. MARSDEN said it would be seen from the report
that four of their medical officers had been absent in the
Crimea during the past year, and the place of one of these
(Dr. Glover) had been supplied by Dr. O'Connor, a gen-
tleman of professional character not surpassed in the
metropolis for ability. The able manner in which he had
performed his duties, he, as one of his colleagues, could
bear ready testimony to, and be had therefore much plea-
sure in proposing that the special thanks of the meeting
be given to Dr. O'Connor f..r having undertaken anal
performed the duties of Dr. Glover during his
absence, and that he be requested to continue his ser-
vices until that gentleman's return.
Mr. PRITCHARD seconded the motion, which was cor-
dially adopted.
Dr. O'CONNOR returned thanks. He was happy that
the institution. He could say for himself that.w
ha ever
kis services had given satisfaction to the goverhnotrs of
time he had spent in the discharge of the duties o had
compensate by the be-
undertaken he was amply
hadne fi t
visitedof the gtrheea t
hospitals
sce
not
ti lieandlyrec.eefive(Ll.
London
but of the provinces. and. tee United Ring-
e beenk conferredew f
nin
on
hsaa.ay h
Bdobeen by means of this hospital. That he
dom, and he couldgrigtheasilatamegfilty
tshtaenpceeewrhae3reba
of a like character. It would, therefore, be
t
could state after carefully examining into all those other
institutionsa source of pleasure on all occasions to promote
its interests, and to gain for it the support of his ac-
quaintances and friends. (Cheers.)
ohim
The committee for the current year was then appointed,
and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to
the chairman.

- -
THE NEW METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL, Sir G.
Grey's new bill provides that henceforth only one CAm-
missioner of police shall be appointed, to be styled
"The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis," and
the person who, at the passing of ,this act, may to the
surviving or continuing commissioner appointed under
former act will be such commissioner. Two Assistant-
Commissioners may be appointed by her Majesty.
The Commissioner of Police will receive a salary of
1,5001., and each of the assistants 8001. per annum-.
'The powers of the present Commissioners of Police are
to be vested in the sole commissioner. The Assistant•
Commissioners will act under the orders of the Com-
missioner of Police ; they will be disqualified from sit-
ting in parliament or interfering At election&