The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-12-15 00:00:00

THE LYING-IN HOSPITAL.

The annual report of the committee of this charity has
just made its appearance. It has been spoken of as " an
able and elewnt document." It is so, and deserves the
earnest attention of those interested in the charity, as also
the benevolent portion of the community. It is an ap-
peal that few who reflect and who regard the welfare of
their fellow-creatures can very well turn a deaf ear to, or
look upon with an apathetic or an indifferent eye.
It appears evident that from the increase and increasing
number of applicants for almission, considerable exertion
must be used to meet the demands upun the charity.
This, instead of damping the interest or spirits of those
who have so far conducted so ably its affairs, should prove
an exciting stimulus to place it out of the reach of depres-
sing influences.
A charity of so interesting a character requires but
little recommendation. Calling attention to its progress,
the report says :
From the increased number of applicants for admission,
over former years, (and the amount would have been greater,
but for the removal from Horatio-street having partially inter-
rupted the affairs of the charity,) is establishe,.: the fact, that the
Hospital is gaining ground in estimation and your committee
believes, that were its excellencies more fully understood, and
the benefits that are conferred by its agency more generally
known, a warmer feeling in its favour would be every where

excited. Cases of extreme distress are not unfrequently
brought into notice ; and married women are received within
the Hospital's walls whose destittfte position would excite sym-
pathy in the hardest hearts."
One portion of the report cannot fail to be perused with
the deepest feelings of interest and sympathy, as exhibit-
ing the desolate state of some of the inmates of the wards
previous to admission. The picture is vividly painted,
and has evidently been drawn not from imagination.
Of the necessity for a lying-in hospital in Liverpool, a
curious-instancy is adduced, by no means, we are told, a
singular one :
" To show the necessity for an institution like this in Liver-
pool, your committee might adduce a variety of cases that have
come under its notice. One especially your attention may be
drawn to, of a female. who. exhibiting symptoms of labour, in
one of the railway trains, was brought here at the direction of
the Railway Company. If the Lying.in Hospital had not ex-
isted, where could she hnve gone to ? To the Workhouse ? It
is a question, under the circumstances of her condition...whether
she wt.uld have been there admitted. To the Infirmary? There
no accommodation could have been provided. Where else then
could she have been taken ? Your Hospital was her only re-
fuge, and here she received that care and attent on, stranger as
she was, that even among her kinsfolk and connections could
not have been more amply provided."

A very excellent arrangement has been adopted during
the last year, which we think cannot be too frequently
brought before the public. We allude to the " Nurses'
Register." Persons qualified for these offices may be ob-
tained, (either monthly or wet nurses,) on application and
payment of a small fee, (which is repaid into the hospital
funds,) thus doing away with the annoyance and uncer-
tainty of searching up and. down the town for persons in
this capacity. Those only who have experienced this
troublesome office, can speak of its irksomeness, and the
disappointment frequently attendant upon the search. By
this register, all trouble and doubt are dissipated, every
person appearing on it being well qualified for the duty
required :

" Your committee has now to advert to the establishment of
a register for monthly and wet nurses kept in the Hospital;
and it is considered that this must be to the public a most valu-
able convenience. The existence of this register has only to be
known to be admitted as such. Persons capable of undertaking
the deeply onerous and highly responsible offices of nurses, in
either capacities, applying for admission on the register, undergo
a strict examination by the medical officers, and, if worthy in
every respect to avail themselves of the opportunity of recom-
mendation, on payment of one shilling, their names can be
placed on the books. Persons requiring nurses, (and wet
nurses especially ought not, by those who care for their chil-
dren's health through life, to be lightly or carelessly chosen,;
on payment of 2s. 6d., can select any of those disengaged. It
may be bens stated, that any of, these selected monthly or ordi-
nary nurses may be implicitly trusted, as the medical officers
pledge themselves that a most rigorous and particular examina-
tion is Instituted by them, as to their eligibility. The fee.
are added to the bazaar fund, which will presently be noticed.
The great convenience of this register is too obvious to require
further comment. It has so far succeeded, and will fully an-
swer the intention when better known."

The school in midwifery is doing well. When we recol-
lect how many hundreds of females are unemployed in
this town, it is quite surprising that more attention is not
turned to this highl4-lucrative profession. Any female of
good ability, and some address, might, in a very short
time, perfect herself in this branch of medical science,
and place herself in a comfortable position. Good mid-
wives and nurses are sought after with avidity, and I,“.ge
sums may be realized by those of good character and
steady habits. We have been assured, that a course or
two of lectures given at the hospital will enable any one
to undertake the office. _

The ladies' committee appears to have been very zea-
lous in furthering the objects and interests of the charity,
by donations in various ways. We perceive that several
presents have been given to the charity in bedsteads, &c.
In the medical report, we find that since the com-
mencement there have been 3063, intern and extern.
But the most extraordinary statement—it strikes us at
least so to be—is the following :—Total deaths in fiv'
years, 2 out of 561 cases 1 Loth of which came into the
hospital in a dying slate, in consequence of ill-usage or
want. This is remarkable, and is a strong claim indeed
upon the confidence of the public. Two deaths only in
561 cases! It is clear from this, that the utmost care
must be taken of the patients, and that the blessing of
Providence rests upon the humble labours of those inte-
rested in it, in warding off the dreaded blow that fills so
many motherless homes with mourning.
We earnestly recommend this charity to the notice of
the public—standing, as it does, alone in the town, able,
and willing, and ready, to do all the good in its power—
shedding comfort to the needy, and a means of increasing
medical science. At no time is the fate of woman so
deeply interesting to her fellow-creatures as during the
time of acceuchement ; and it is our duty to do all we can
to alleviate their trouble. In the homes of the poor,
cheap food and cheap medicine are administered totally
unfitting for the time or case; and it is in charities like
this we find them rescued from ignorance and privation.
It will, we feel convinced, be-seen with pleasure, that an
appeal will be made to the public. at St. Silas's Church,
on Wednesday, (toimorrow,) in aid of the funds of the
Hospital, by one who never applied for help from his
townsmen in vain ; and we cannot but regard it as a for-
tuitous circumstance that the Rev. Canon M'Neile
should have to address a congregation in a church almost
adjoining the Hospital.