The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-15 00:00:00

Metropolitan Free Hospital.

The 13th anniversary of this valuable institution,
which is satiated in Devonshire-square, Bishops-
sate, City, wt., ,c1.t.1,...%8,1 l cv
don Tavern, under the auspices of the Right Hon.
the Lord Mayor, who was supported by about 200
gentlemen, many of whom were of the Jewish
religion.
It may here be noticed that this hospital is open
to the sick poor of all countries, without the trouble-
some and too often injurious impediment of a gover-
nor's letter of recommendation, and the daily at-
tendance of patients last year amounted in the ag-
gregate to 84,747. It is situated close to the most
destitute and populous districts of the metropolis,
viz., Bishopsgate, Spitalfields, Shoreditch, Bethnal-
green, 'Whitechapel, Sze.—places whose names are
almost synonymous with poverty and disease, and
where are generated those unhealthy influences,
arising from overcrowded and ill-provided habita-
tions, which render the advantages offered by such
a charity as this a paramount necessity to the sur-
rounding population. It is wholly dependent on
voluntary contributions, and at the present moment
urgently requires assistance.
Amongst the gentlemen present were—Alderman
and Sheriff Gibbons, Mr. Gurney Fry, Rev. W.
Finch, Mr. C. IV. Randling, ;Mr. A. Chapman, Mr.
J. Dakin, Mr. J. Hale, Mr. Joseph Fry, Mr. Gra-
ham (the high bailiff of Southwark), Mr. H. E.
Murrell, Mr. J. 11. Evans, &c.
The cloth having been removed, the usual loyal
toasts were duly honoured, Mr. WRAGG returning
thanks for the volunteers.
The LORD MAYOR then proposed the toast of the
evening, namely, " Prosperity to the Free Hospi-
tal," and, in doing so, said that when his friend on
his right, Mr. Gurney Fry, did him the honour to
ask him to preside on the present occasion, he felt,
notwithstanding the varied duties which he had to
perform in his character of chief magis-
trate of that city, an irresistible desire to be pre-
sent at that festival and to preside at it, and the
consequence was his presence there that evening.
(Hear, hear.) There was a charm about the word
" free ;" and if there was one institution in
this country more than another which ought
never to be anything else than free, it was an hos-
pital. (Hear, hear.) The freedom of the hospital
was great 'when the poor, sick, helpless creature,
upon presenting his unhappy credentials, was re-
ceived because of the state of his health. But the
freedom to which he was now alluding was of that
broad character in this institution which invited all
mankind in the name of brethren. (Hear, hear.)
To the honour and glory of the friends of the insti-
tution under consideration they not alone pro-
claimed freedom to all who came, but they re-
spected the peculiar views and ceremonials of all
religions, and they aided and encouraged them.
(Hear, hear.) He therefore thought that a cosmo-
politan institution like the Metropolitan Free Hos-
pital, situated as it was in that great city in the very
heart of poverty, was entitled to the warmest sym-
pathy and support. Some few days since he con-
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ep
at his visit. He certainly saw there all the order,
feverything that
sit to
comfort, and cleanliness
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somewhat surprised
stead:
buto those t
him
—in fact,
creatures who sought re 7
could add to the care andliecf
otmheforret•
that the institution was quite inadequate in size to
its requirements, ande mightthatatake
large
thepo libertyrtion o
of money
soney
was spent, when, if h
ay-
ing so, it might have been dispensed with a larger
amount of eventual good. He did not wish to be
misunderstood on this point, and he wished to say
that he found no fault with the institution. (Hear.)
If there was any fault it rested with the public.
(Cheers.) At the hospital there were 20 beds with,
he must say, an admirable staff, and he had the good
fortune to meet there one of its most industrious
medical attendants, who fully endorsed his
opinion as to the incapacity of the building. The
staff was sufficient in itself for all purposes,
but this after all was but one side of the history
of the hospital. The report stated that during
the year 84,747 patients were relieved. After
such an announcement further comment would be
waste of time. Who in that great city would re-
fuse to support an institution of this kind, situated
as it was in a densely-populated neighbourhood—in