The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-02-20 00:00:00

MEETING IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTHERN

H OSP 1 T A L.

On Friday evening, the adjourned meeting of the friends and
subscribers of this excellent institution was held at the Music
Hall, Bold-street, the Mayor in the chair, for the purpose of
bringing the claims of this Hospital more prominently before
the public. At 7 o'clock the hour of the meeting, the Mayor,
attended by Rev. Messrs. Barker, Buddicom, M'Neile, Davis,
and by Messrs, Harvey, Brown, Shiel, Hodgson, Birch,
Warner, Blackburn, and a number of merchants entered the
room. About 600 persons were assembled, many of whom were
ladies; and in the body of the meeting we observed agreat num-
ber of respectable inhabitants of the town. We were rejoiced
to see so animated a feeling pervading so large a class of the
community on behalf of a charity so trulyj benevolent, and in
every way so free from all possible objections On entering the
room and taking their seats on the platform, the mayor and the
gentlemen with him were loudly cheered.
The MAYOR, on taking the chair, said he should not trouble
the meeting with many words, except to express the sincere
satisfaction with which he presided over that meeting. It was
not usual to go out of the Sessions-house, but he did not know
how the chief magistrate of this town could be better employed
than in attending any place where the work of charity was to be
performed or promoted—(applause)—anywhere were the best
feelings were called forth to relieve the sufferings and the dis-
tresses of their fellow-creatures. (Renewed applause.) He was
sure that their sympathies would be called forth for those who
were unfortunate enough to meet with accidents in any way;
and that cold night afforded an additional motive for them to
provide the nearest'place as an asylum for those who suffered
from accidents; for feeling, as they had done, what it was to
walk to that room that night, they would be the better able
to feel what it must be to be carried to so great a distance
on such a ni"ht as the Old Infirmary, with a broken or a
maimed and bruised limb. They would, therefore, feel them-
selves impressively called upon to support the Northern Hospi-
tal. (Applause.)
Mr. CHARLES WARNER was then called upon by the chairman
to read the following.
REPORT

The Committee of the Northern Hospital have deemed it their
duty to convene this public meeting, with the view of laying be-
fore the inhabitants of the town the state of this most excellent
charity, in entire confidence that this step will be the means of
securing for it that support which it so eminently deserves. Pre-
viously to the resolutions which will be proposed for your con-
sideration. a brief account of its rise and progress will afford
some information to those who have not hitherto tied their atten-
tion directed to the important benefits which it is conferring upon
that most meritorious class—the labouring poor.
Some of the gentlemen present will recollect that when that
noble institution, the Infirmary, was removed front the site
which it formely occupied in Shaw's-brow to its present situa-
tion in Brovvnlovv-street, front the great and growing extension
of the town to the northward many casualties were daily oc-
curring in that district of so serious a nature as rendered it im-
possible to carry the unfurtuna'e patients so far without extreme
danger of their dying on the road, or being so exhausted from
the loss of blood as to render their chance of recovery hopeless;
and, in cases of persons apparently drowned, any attempt to
remove them to that distance was sure to be attended with fatal
results.

This state of things prompted those who were aware of it to
endeavour to procure the introduction of a few beds into the
North Dispensary for the reception of such urgent cases as
could not be further removed, and a general meeting of the sub-
scribers to the Dispensaries was called to consider how far such
a step could be taken without abridging the usefulness of
those charities, when it was considered that the arrangements
necessary for the good management of an hospital were so to-
tallmlifferent from those required for the Dispensaries that it
won rd be far more efficient plan to seek for some convenient
house still nearer to the docks than to run the risk of interfering
With the arrangements of the Dispensaries. This led to a '
sub-
sequent meeting of those gentlemen who considered that the
cause of humanity required their exertions to provide. if possi-
ble, the accommodation that had become necessary to relieve
many of their fellow creatures from that unhappy situation into
which they are brought by unavoidable accidents, in pursuing
the necessary labours of the port, and which give them the
' strogest' claims upon the public at large, but more particularly
upon merchants employing them. The meeting to which we
last alluded raised asubscription, and elected a committee with
instruction to carry the benevolent design into effect. A house
was rented from gr. Blundell in Leeds-street, near to the canal,
and fitted up for the reception of patients; but the committee
are sorry to add, that they soon became so numerous that all the
beds which they had been able to put up (thirty-seven, and those
by far too inueh crowded) were nut adequate to the accommo-
dation of the cases that occurred, and they were obliged to sub-
mit to the painful feeling resulting from the positive knowledge
that many most heartrending cases occurred of patients being
brought there who could not be admitted.
Trusting to the liberal public, and to those christian feelings—
the want of which has never been brought as a charge against
the inhabitants of this town—they ventured to take another
house, adjoiuing that'which they occupied, and are now enabled
to make up eighty-four beds. Still, the accommodation is not
adequate to meet the distressing cases which are constantly oc-
curring in so dense a population so situated, and their funds
are insufficient to meet even this inadequate accommodation.
The sate of our finances will be read to you by our Treasuer,
and it will then rest with you to consider whether you can retire
frbin this meeting with the certain knowledge that, without your
aid, many human beings would perish, or whether you will re-
solve to use those exertions which are necessary to acquit your-
selves of such responsibility, and relieve your committee from
their present embarrassment. We cannot doubt the decision to
which you will come.
Mr. -WARNER, as the treasurer to the hospital, then also read
the statement
,of the year's accounts of which we gave an ab-
stract after the annual meeting a fortnight ago, in which it ap-
peared that there was now a balance due to the -treasurer of
£512 15s. 6d., being a debt now owing by the institution. Mr.
Warner also took occasion to remark, that the number of pa-
tients received into the hospital since its establishment four
years ago, was 2154—(hear)—who had been relieved on an
average at the cost of 455. each, so that the contributor of two
guineas would have the satisfaction of knowing that he hail been
the means of affording relief to some poor fellow-creature who
had been compelled to, seek aid in the Northern Hospital.
(Applause.)
Mr. Alderman BROWN rose to move the first resolution. As
one of the oldest members of the committee of the Northern
Hospital, he had been appointed by his colleagues to move the
first resolution. When he told them that the report which had
just been read had been brought forward by himself and col-
leagues, it saved him from the necessity Of making any lengthened
remarks, for that report spoke' fully his sentiments and views
respecting that charity ; they would not, therefore, expect him
to enter into further details, particularly as he was surrounded
by gentlemen whose eloquence would more effectually aid that
I charity than anything that he could say. But feeling, as he
did, a deep interest in the chat ity, of which they bad appointed
him one of the managers, he could not but stand forth to show
the interest he felt in its welfare, and also to express his fears
that they lost many subscribers from its not being very gene-
rally known, or confounded with the Infirmary or South Dis-
pensary, from each of which it was separate and distinct, de-
pending on separate and distinct subscriptions and donations.
He should be sorry if the Northern Hospital should abstract
any thing from the Infirmary or the Southern Dispensary, but
still he was anxious that the charity of which he was a guardian,
should not lose a subscription if it could be avoided. He then
proposed the resolution which he held in his hand, " that the
statement which his now been read claims the most serious
attention of the public, and calls upon them for pecuniary aid,
which ought to be promptly and freely given, to relieve this
valuable charity from the embarassment under which it labours."
Mr. Bitten rose and said he had great satisfaction in second-
ing the motion which Mr. Brown had, he was sorry to say, so
briefly', but nevertheless so feelingly, proposed for theconsidera-
tion of the meeting. He fully agreed with every word and every
sentiment Mr. Brown had uttered; and he was sure they would
all feel that it was impossible to advocate, or even imagine, any
stronger claim upon the charity and benevolence of the public
than that set forth in the excellent report they had just heard
read by Mr. Warner. ( Hear.) They had in this town a great
variety of institutions for charitable objects as well as for other
purposes—they had institutions for the gratuitous diffusion of
knowledge among the poor, for the advancement of science as
well as for many other purposes, valuable and important, be-
cause connected, with the moral improvement of society—but
then they had other institutions which had more particular
reference to the bodily wants and necessities of the poor, which,
perhaps, more strongly demanded their aid and assistance.
But, although with respect to the usefulness of some of those
institutions, there might be allowed to honest men some little
difference of opinion, he felt convinced, that with regard to the
utility—the absolute necessity—of this institution there could
not possibly exist the slightest difference of opinion. (Applause.)
He was sure they all had known cases—either in their own per-
.
sons, or in the persons of some near relatives—in which they
had had melancholy experience of the sorrow and agony attest-
dant upon a period of protracted sickness, even under circum-
stances most favourable to recovery when surrounded by the
alleviation which friendship could afford, and every aid of medi-
cal and surgical assistance; but when, with that experience,
they were told that cases of the most heart-rending description
were daily disinissed from the door of this hospital, because of
the want of extended accommodation, could they look upon the
agony of these poor wretches who were thus carried away by
their destitute and afflicted friends, to sicken and expire in their
damp and comfortless cellars; and the other abodes of poverty
in this town—could they look On that spectacle without feeling
impelled to come forivard' in 'defence of suffering humanity, and
without feeling a `strong desire 'to Share some of the blessings
which Providetie. had bestowed upon themselves with those
who were cotiffielledto. endure a harder and more severe destiny.
(Great APplause.) 'There was something even in the season
at which they were called together that
,he thought was calcu-
lated to excite pity and to 'predispose them to acts of mercy and
bentficence: ( Hear.) There- never was a period within his
recollection when the wants and privations of the poor were
so excessive as at the present moment. There was an almost
total cessation of out-cl6or employment—an absence of the
usual employerient of the shipping and at the docks—a stoppage
of internal communication by the freezing of the canals—all
these were circumstances combined with others to withhold
from the pbor. their usual means of support and sustenance;
and when to those bodily privations were added the keenness
and inclemency of the present season, the hopeless condition of
the poor might be easily imagined. But the public of Liver-
pool were never insensible to the distresses of their fellow crea-
tures, and on this trying occasion they had come forward
and raised hindsorne subscriptions, liberally commenced by
their respected chairman, by which they were able to provide
warm and comfortable nutriment for the poor, and by which,
from his own 'knowledge, he could undertake to say, nu-
merous families had been saved from actual starvation. (Hear.)
Now, let that humane and Christian spirit extend, and reach
other objects, not perhaps of more pressing emergency, but un-
happily of more permanent and enduring necessity. Having
relieved the temporal wants of the poor, let them furnish
them with an asylum in the hour of sickness, and ex-
tend to them useful aid in case of accidents. He felt it would
be quite presumptuous in him to go further with that subject;
all that he could do wasto offer those common-place observa-
tions to the meeting, leaving to others of more eloquence to do
justice to it, he should therefore satistierl with having given
his feeble but honest support to the object which had brought
them together. (Great applause.)

The CHAIBMAN then put the resolution which was carried
unanimously, amidst loud applause.
Mr. A. HODGSON then ruse to propose
That the clergy of all denominations he respectfully re-
quested to lend their powerful assistance in impressing on their
congregations the importance of the charity, and that the hope
he expressed that they will preach sermons in aid of the funds."
He proposed that resolution with great pleasure, because he
agreed with the preceding speaker, that no institution in this
town, for the-relief of tha.physical wants and woes of onr com-
mon nature, had stronger claims on the inhabitants of the town
than that wbich•they had assembled to advocate, and in whose
favour, as the resolution• stated, they were anxious to secure the
advocacy of the ministers of religion. He was well aware that
their ministrations were directed to wants and woes of a
deeper and• more enduring character, bat he reinembere I the
commission to the first preachers of Christianity, which was
not only to preach the gospel, but to " heal the sick," and sure
he was that the obligation to alleviate the temporal miseries of
the poor, held a prominent place in the round of duties of the