The history of the General Hospital, Belfast, and the other medical institutions of the town : with chronological notes and biographical reminiscenses connected with its rise and progress / [Andrew G. Malcolm].

Andrew George Malcolm

Date:: 1851

Credit: The history of the General Hospital, Belfast, and the other medical institutions of the town : with chronological notes and biographical reminiscenses connected with its rise and progress / [Andrew G. Malcolm]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$I I 1 I i CoHsiiIting ^fjj}sictau0. Dk. Halliday and Dk. Mattear. ^ttcnlimg |)fjj)0ician0. Dr. M‘Donnell and Dr. White. Slttcnliing S«vgcoiis. ]\1r. Fuller and Mr. M‘Clelland. Attending on July 30th, Mr. M'Clune. On May 19th, the Committee of Management held their j^rs^ meeting at the Town-House. The lion. C. Skeffington, V.P., presided. Drs. White and M‘Donnell and Mr. MTlvcen were deputed to take a house for the Dispen- sary. An advertisement for an Apothecary, at an annual salary of £40, with an additional sum according to merit, was ordered. The two attending sur- geons were requested to dispense the medicines until the Apothecary would | be regularly installed. At a special meeting of the Committee, held on the 19th June, pursuant to advertisement, and after an examination of the can- didates by the Medical Attendants, the election of the first Apothecary was made, by ballot, when Mr. Hull was the successful candidate. On the oOth of July, arrangements were entered into with the Charitable Society, whereby the Committee were to obtain the use of rooms for the accommodation of the Apothecary, medical officers, and patients, free of expense. Tlie above comprise the principal events relating to the founding of the Belfast Dispensary. Though unpretending in its machinery, Ave cannot but admire the high philanthropic spirit Avhich, in a time of great political excite- ment, actuated the small but memorable band Avhose names we have recorded. All they asked for was the sum of £50 to initiate a scheme Avhich was prac- tically to supply prompt and efficient aid to the hitherto neglected artizan, in suffering and in trial—to mitigate the horrors of that loathsome scourge, Avhose devastations had been a Avorld’s theme for ages—to snatch the asphyxi- ated from, in many instances, impending death, and to bring relief to the des- titute mother, in the hour of difficulty and danger. These Avere objects Avorthy of an enterprizing and benevolent community, and Avorthily AAms theii' realiza- tion attempted. It Avas not to be expected that the insignificant sum called for would be sufficient to institute simultaneously these varied plans, thouo-h, to the honour of the profession, be it eAmr remembered, that body upon Avdiom rested the entire success of every part of the scheme, Avarmly co-operated to cany out the undertaking, regardless of all trouble and the sacrifice of valu-$