Star.
London, England, 1818-07-24 00:00:00

tar; other lioip;LAls; an3,p7abably. in ordinary times,
nearly fie whole of the fevers of the Metropolis.
Your Committed feel assured, that in case the fe-
ver should continue its ravages undiminished, and
the same burden which lay so heavy on the finances
of this Institution in tit last year, should exist during
the present, Parliament would consent to provide
some additional support; but, at present, they con-
sider the sum above-mentioned as sufficient, and they
rely with confidence on the munificence and charity
of the public to promote the ordinary annual funds
for the support of an Institution so well deserving the
countenance of all ranks of society.
Your Committee have fully satisfied themselves,
that the most beneficial effects have resulted from
hospitals exclusively set apart for cases of fever.
They refer generally to the accopnts, to shew the
small income of this admirable Institution, as well
as the increasing demands on it ; and though the be-
nevolence of the public has done much to raise the
Establishment to its useful pre-eminence, yet farther
aid is still wanted ; and your Committee wish to re-
conimend his Majesty's Government to reconsider the
grant they have already made.
Your Committee, in recommending this grant of
money, are aware of the general impolicy of sup-
porting public hospitals by advances of public mo-
ney ; but the pecul'ar state of this Jstablishment,
its nature and character. the pressure of its funds;
which require immediate and large additions to them :
and, above all, the diseased state of the Metropolis
in respect of fever, and the probability of its malig-
nity being increased towards the Autumn ;—all these
reasons satisfy your Committee, that a departure from
the general principle may in this case be adopted.
Lrom the experience dtriied from the Establish-
ments at Chester, Manchester, and Waterford, ac-
cording to a report which has been laid before them,
it appears that not only no hazard of spreading in-
fection has been incurred, but, in point of fact, the
number of contagious diseases has been greatly dimi-
nished, not only in towns, but in the very distiict
and neighbourhood where houses of recovery have
been situated. Dr. Roget, late Physician to the 'Man-
chester Infirmary,-informed your Conktnittee, that at
Manchester no medical officer or attendant in the
hospital has been afflicted with the fever generated
within its walls ; and that in the town itself the num-
ber of cases of that disease has diminished to a less
degree than the ordinary average prior to the esta-
blishment of the Institution. Dr. Holroe, Physician
to the Infirmary from its establishtnent to the present
period, confirms this statement. o its full extent.
Your Committee cannot close this Report without
' expressing a regret that any hospital in the metro-
polis should not possess a register of diseases; they
trust this omission will speedily be rectified. And, in
their opinion, it would be advisable to register, not
only the diseases, but also the name and profession
of the patient. It must at all times be'a matter of
useful knowledge to be able to learn the quality and
extent of the different diseases that prevail at different
periods; and your Committee have felt the want of
that information, arising out of this strange irregula-
rity, in not being able to ascertain the average fever
cases that have occurred for some years past in the
metropolis.—May. 20, 1818.