The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-01-20 00:00:00

EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.

The annual meeting of the subscribers and friends to
the Eye and Ear Infirmary was held yesterday, at twelve
o'clock, in the Clarendon Rooms, South John-street.
The meeting was most respectably attended, among whom
we noticed the Rev. Rector Brooks, Mr. Robertson
Gladstone, Mr. Adam Hodgson, Mr. Samuel Sandbach,
Mr. Harmood Banner, Mr. John Crosfield, the Rev. T.
Bold, the Rev. R. L. Townsend, Mr. James Holme,
Mr. John Rigby, and many other warm friends of this
excellent institution. There were also present a number
of persons, some of them upwards of 70 years of age, who
had been patients in the institution. Of these some had
had their sight destroyed by accident, others by disease,
whilst others had been born blind; but all of them were
now restored to the invaluable blessing of sight. and their
appearance excited the greatest interest among the sub-
scribers. _ _ _

On the motion of Mr. JPIES HOLME, the Rev. Jona-
than Brooks, senior rector of Liverpool, was unani-
mously requested to preside.
Mr. HENRY CROSFIELD, in the absence of the hono-
rary secretary, read the report, of which the following is
an abstract :

The report, after alluding to the progressive usefulness of
the institution, contained the following statement :
In 1844 the number of new Eye Cases was.... 3077
and the number of new Ear Cases was.... 2661-5731
In 1845 the number of new Eye Cases has been 3462
and the number of new Ear Cases has been 2519-5981
Increase in 1845 over 1844.... 243

and over 1843....1699
The total number of times that patients were prescribed for,
(all of whom received the necessary dressings, medicines, &c.,)
in 1844 was..

in 1845 it has been .18,474
Increase in 1845 over 1844 • 2279
The daily average of cases has been 58 in 1845 compared with
52 in the preceding year.
The number of artizans employed in steam-boats, on railways,
or public works, who in consequence of accidents to their eyes
had sought, during the past year, the aid of the charity and
been restored was 286, being an increase of 61 over last year
and of 142 over 1843. During last year 52 persons, blind from
cataract (several of whom were born blind) have received their
sight by the skilful operations of the surgeons, and since the
formation of the charity ten years ago 490 patients have by its
means had the blessing of, sight conferred on them. The
report then stated that in consequence of the present premises
being too confined for the accommodation of the daily increas-
ing patients the Committee had concluded an agreement with
the late Dr. Carson's representatives for the purchase of the
house at the top of Mount Pleasant-, at present occupied by
Mr. Neill, the situation of which is very eligible and the pre-
mises are capable of future enlargement. The amount required
for this purpose will be rather more than £2OOO, towards which
upwards of .e6OO have been subscribed, and no doubt in this
, large and wealthy community will be speedily forthcoming,
I
1 and we are glad to second the appeal of the Committee for that

support to this institution which' its extending sphere of use-
fulness so justly entitles it. From the accounts it appeared that
there was a balance due to the treasurer (Mr. Henry Crosfield)
of £33 15s &l. _ _

After reading these documents, Mr. HENRY CROS-
FIELD said, that after the full account which had just
1..:A el— rplortnnt to nr.

to call attention to the great step which the committee
had taken relative to the purchase of new premises. This
charity offered great facility to the admission of patients.
No recommendation was necessary. Poverty and suffer-
ings were the only recommendations required ; and, as
far as practicable, they were relieved. The patients had
become more numerous as the charity had become known,
and many times, during the past year, upwards of one
hundred patients came seeking relief in one day. In the
present small premises, it was impossible to find even
standing room for half that number, consequently they had
been obliged to stand in toe street, waiting their turn. They
were there exposed to influences which frequently had a
tendency to aggravate the symptoms from which they
sought relief; and, under these circumstances, the com-
mittee felt they would not be doing their duty if they did
not endeavour to obviate that evil. Their first idea was
to obtain land, and erect a new building ; but they found
that would be incurring too great an expense. After
much consideration, and the inspection of several places
which had been offered, they concluded the arrangement
which the meeting had heard read. It would be observed
that £l4OO were required to complete the purchase, and
for this sum the committee now made their appeal to the
generosity of their fellow-townsmen. They made this
appeal very confidently, for they believed this charity had
good claims upon the sympathy of the public, and that
their call would be liberally responded to. Through the
past year 52 individuals had received their sight, most of
whom had not the means of obtaining relief elsewhere.
Had it not been for the existence of this charity, they
would - ---.hably have hPen in darkness at this mo

... most procia.. tit.,
merit ; and had the charity done nothing more than that,
it would have been an ample return for the amount of
money expended. But there was a host of other cases
who bad received assistance here, and which, if it
had not been for the timely aid rendered to them,
the maladies which afflicted them would have increased
to such an extent that total blindness would have ensued,
/- I

and they and their families must nave neen unrown upon
the public for support (hear, hear.) In an economical
point of view this charity had, therefore, great claims upon
the publ c. He was glad to see so many gentlemen who
had hitherto rendered liberal assistance to this ci

and he called upon them to lend another helping hand to
it, and by their exertions and influence assist the com-
mittee to make up the sum required fur the building. He
made this appeal with the greatest confidence, because he
firmly believed, when the charity was once firmly in the
position tbey sought to place it in—free from debt—and
they could not, with their small income, afford to have
any incumbrances : they would be able to enlarge its
usefulness without materially increasing the expenditure.
He hoped, therefore, at the end of this present year, he
should he able to congratulate the subscribers upon the
charity being placed in the situation the Committee
desired, namely, entirely free from debt, and the income
fully adequate to the expenditure. (Hear.)
Mr. NEILL then read the following,—
Sir, of the usefulness of the Liverpool Eye and Ear
Infirmary the statistical table which I hold in my hand
is the proof. It is a record of some very interesting facts.
lc informs us, that out of every thousand individuals of
our town community, more than one, who is poor and
needy, has been afflicted with some serious ailment of the
eye, which has called forth the assistance of this institu-
tion in its alleviation. Even from the fact of 3,462 per-
sons haring applied for relief, and having had that relief
instantly and effectually afforded to them. Now, that the
management of the institution may be clearly understood,
it will be well for me to state that the system upon which
it has been work: d has been, to have the doors thrown
open to all, who are suffering from the specific diseases
which it treats, every day of the week, except the Sab-
bath ; and that the only recommendation required shall
be poverty and disease. The system is found to work
well, as 1 shall show to you—but it deprives the public
of the opportunity of estimating the necessity of such a
charity; because when a recommendation is required the
afflicted one is obliged to hunt about for his recommenda-
tion note, and thus calls forth to notice the want of (such
an hospital. Now as our doors are open to all who are
poor, the poor flock directly to us for relief, and the pub-
lic know nothing of their sufferings ; which would be the
reverse if a recommendatory introduction were required.
But inflammation, or injuries to the eye producing inflam-
mation, will not brook delay with impunity. The beauti-
ful transparent structures of this important organ will not
bear to be tampered with by delay—one hour of neglect
will destroy these delicate transparencies, and by delay of
relief the sufferer would be left to deplore the loss of that
sense, which of all others is the most prized, rind if lost is
the most deplored. Light was the fist work of creation.
How great a treasure is its reality ! How precious to en-
, joy sight! How sad the loss of sight! How satisfactory
must it be to you, the friends of this charity, to have it in
your power, with God's assistance, in so many instances
to save so useful a sense !

The open doors of the Eye and Ear Infirmary receive
those who are wounded in the great public and private
works of this huge town and neighbourhood every day.
Two hundred and eighty-six engineers and artisans con-
nected with these great works have been relieved in your
hospital in the past year. These men are chiefly from the
railways and foundries, and are to their employers of so
much importance, that even in a selfish point of view,
their support of this institution is quite apparent ; and
when the master's attention has been respectfully called
to our needs for the workmen's wants, I have no doubt
that we shall have the necessary and increased support.
There are some other facts I wish to draw your atten-
tion to, deduced from this statistical table. There has
been in the past year a frightful increase in small pox
ophthalmia. I have rarely had to record more than three
cases in a single year—in the past year there were no less
than thirteen cases of great severity,—all cases where
sight was injured or lost. Now how happens this? Is
the local system of vaccination defective? is vaccination
a preventive ? 1 AM suite IT IS ; but is vaccination
tested in the public vaccine establishment? 1 raise the
enquiry ; I merely state a fact, and one of importance to
the health of towns.
My table tells me that the north-west wind of the past
year, and the great dampness of the atmosphere, has
caused a huge mass of disease of the outer structures of
the eye. Somewhere about two thousand cases have oc-
curred ; and as as a proof of the atmospheric enemy, our
cases returned, and returned, and relapsed, and tormented
us in an unusual way. The ordinary remedies did not
avail : and the house was crowded, and the poor creatures
had often to stand in the street, waiting for an hour to
gain an entrance to my colleagues or my own self. 18,474
times did Dr. Edwards
in the
prescribe for the poor
applicants of your charity the past year. This fact
will explain to you what already your treasurer has so
emphatically done, the absolute want of more ample ac-
commodation, both for out and in-door patients. As I
have mentioned the treasurer, permit me now, for my
colleagues and myself, to express to Mr. Henry Crosfield
the full appreciation we have of his charity in the ma-
nagement of your hospital and to say, how pleasant it is
to work in a good cause with the full concurrence and
hearty assistance of a zealous committee and a liberal
treasurer.
The report which has been read will have told you that
fifty-two blind individuals have had sight restored by
operation. On former occasions I have thought it well
to give you a history of some of these interesting cases :
on this occasion, although ample opportunity is afforded,
I think it better to produce for your inspection some ex-
amples of our surgery ; and, when I run over the cases,
I shall be glad if you will test the results of my simple
operation for cataract : which many of you have seen the
operation, and to its simplicity do I attribute the sucess,
which is greater than in any other similar hospital in the
kingdom.
I have only one word more to add Dr. Edwards and
myself have prescribed in the past year 2,519 times in pa-
tients suffering from depreciation of the sister sense—a
loss of hearing. This will satisfy you, that in having
added the treatment of the ailments of the ear to the Old
Ophthalmic Institution, you have responded to a call
which was much required, and is now the means of corn-
forting many, and alleviating much misery, without having
imposed much additional expense upon your institution.
1 cannot sit down without noticing the satisfactory im-

provement made in our surgery ; and my colleague and I
have every right to express our full approval of the work-
ing in this department, and to recommend Mr. Barrow,
the assiatant surgeon to the notice of the friends of the
institution, as an untiring and most efficient assistant.
.

The Rev. T. BOLD moved, and Mr. JOHN CROSFIELD
seconded, the first resolution, which was to the effect,
that the report, with the treasurer's accounts, be re-
ceived, printed, and circulated.
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the motion, said he could
not anticipate any objection to it. There could be no
doubt that the report was most gratifying; and he, for
one, was much surprised to find so much good done with
such small means. (Hear, hear.) He thought, indeed,
that the same could not be said of any other institution
with which he had the pleasure of being connected, and
he had bad something to do with most in the town. It
was a most astonishing fact, that although the absolute

income arising from subscriptions did not reach £3OO, I
about 18,000 cases had been under the bands of the sur-
geons ; and he thought if that single fact were made
sufficiently known, it would at once be the means
of doubling the annual subscriptions ; for really the
subscriptions were nothing in amount whn we considered
the great wealth of the town of Liverpool. (Hear ) With
regard to the cases sent out as cured, he was happy to
have it in his power to speak particularly of two which he
had been the means of sending into the institution, both
from the manufacturing district in the neighbourhood of
Colne. One was the, case of a female who was totally
incompetent to do any thing for her family, having be-
come entirely blind from cataract. She was 61 years of
age. She went to the institution in April, 1845. She was
operated upon the sth of April, and discharged cured on
the 7th June ; and she was now enabled to go through her
family work, and to read her family bible perfectly well,
(Applause.) The other was the case of a boy, 11 years
of age, who came from the same district. His cure was
even more rapid than the woman's, for he did not enter
the institution till some time after her, yet he was dis-
charged cured the same day. He was operated upon be«
ing then blind of both eyes, on the 3rd May, on the 7th
June he returned with the woman to his native country
also cured. (Much applause.).

The resolution was then carried unanimously.
Mr. SAMUEL SANBACH moved that the proceedings of
the committee in the purchase of the dwelling house in
Mount Pleasant be confirmed, and that the meeting pledge
itself to use every exertion to obtain donations to cover the
amount required. The only comment necessary on this
resolution that he should make, was, "Put down your
subscriptons." (hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN,—It would be the best plan.

Mr. ALFRED WATERHOUS

,econded the motion.

The CHAIRMAN said to this part of the subject,
could speak personally, for he having had the two cases
he had already mentioned in the Institution, they had
caused him to attend there to watch their progress. He
could really and truly say, that the accommodation afford-
ed in the Institution was totally inadequate to what was
required. It was too limited and inconvenient. In his
opinion the committee had been very fortunate in having
found a place suitable both in point of extent and situation,
and which they would be enabled to procure for so much
smaller a sum than if they had entertained the idea of
building. He sincerely hoped that in a wealthy town like
this, there would be no difficulty in raising the amount.
Indeed he was quite sure if half a dozen of the gentlemen
now present would go on 'Change for half an hour, they
would raise the money. He was sure there was that
feeling iu the town, that when the facts were known their
charity would never feel the want of support under such
circumstances. He therefore anticipated the meeting
would gladly sanction the proposal of the committee.
The resolution was unanimously carried.
Mr. ADAM HODGSON moved and Mr. CHARLES WIL-
SON seconded a resolution appointing the officers for the
ensuing year. C irried unanimously.
Mr. CROSFIELD said the resolution which had been
put into his hands to move, he anticipated, would be una-
nimously agreed to after the interesting details and state-
ments which the meeting had heard of the great success
which had attended the surgeons in the progress of their
duties. The resolution was that the thanks of the meet-
ing be given to the knedical gentlemen for their services
during the past year, and that they be reappointed. He
thought the circumstance of 52 cases having been restored
to sight from total blindness was a very striking fact,
which ought to inspire thankfulness for the past and hope
for the future, and to animate all acquainted with the cir-
cumstances of the institution to more and more exertion
in causing it to be well supported. It did not appear to
him from the report that the increase of subscriptions was

adequate to the increase of cases. There was, therefore,
a necessity for the extension of such aid. Every year we
attended these meetings we found more pleasing and
stronger proofs of the utility of the Institution,
in the increased number of cases that were reported,
whereby the extension of its benefits were shown. He
very much agreed with the sentiments of the rev. chair-
man, that it was only needful to make an appeal to the
town, to raise the funds requisite for the purchase of the
proposed building. That purchase was a step which all

•
must approve, and he believed it would tend very much
to the permanent establishment of the charity. When
we saw such magnificent structures rising up around us in
this great town, we could not doubt but the small amount
necessary for this purchase would readily be found. He
hoped the cases now reported would stimulate all who
bad the means to subscribe to this cause. He did not
know what attention had been given to the circumstance of
so many artizans and workmen from the railway com-
panies, foundries, steam engine and other manufactories,
who were liable to accidents of the eye, and where one
eye was so very valuable to workmen of that class,
and to their masters too—he did not know, he said, what
attention might have been given to this argument by the
cymmittee, but he thought some steps should be taken to
call the attention of the employers of those men, in
order that they might have the privilege of subscrib in-g.
Ile was sure their subscriptions ought to be forthcoming,
and he suggested that this would be a proper subject for
a distinct resolution (hear, hear). The remarkable
feature of this charity had been touched upon both
on this and on former occasion, namely, that of
requiring no recommendations for the poor suf-
ferers to obtain its aid, but the want of relief and in-
ability to pay for it. (hear. hear.) Lie really thought
this was a very striking feature in this charity ; and as the
worthy surgeon (Mr. Neill) had observed it *as well it
was so because the delay which in most cases was often
dangerous, was sometimes fatal to the sight. But at the
same time as Mr. Neill bad said, it did not bring individ-
ual suffering so closely under the notice and attention of
the subscribers as if they had the opportunity of personal
intercourse with an individual in a state of great suffering.
Mr. Crosfield concluded by moving the resolution.
Mr. SAMUEL SANDBACH seconded the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN : Do the railway companies subscribe
anything ?
Mr. JAS. HOLME : No.
Mr. SAMUEL SANDBACH : I have no doubt they would,
if they were applied to.

Mr.. H. CILOSFIELD remarked that they had a great
many cases sent from the railway works at Crewe.

The CHAIRMAN was sure that if the charity were mem-
tioned to the board of directors, there would be no diffi-
culty in inducing them to subscribe, because it was a
matter which peculiarly affected them.

Mr. JAs. HOLME suggested that the proprietors of
foundries should also be applied to.
Mr. NEILI„ in reply to a question, stated that the worst
cases, and the largest number, came from Crewe, and very
frequently the wives and children of the men came with
them.

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