Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1883 ; completion of the hospital extension ; action and purpose of the governors of the cotton districts convalescent fund ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, meteorological report and tables, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., Bath charity report for 1785, and copies of conveyances of hospital and baths from the Duke of Devonshire to the trustees.
- Devonshire Royal Hospital (Buxton, Derbyshire, England)
- Date:
- 1884
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1883 ; completion of the hospital extension ; action and purpose of the governors of the cotton districts convalescent fund ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, meteorological report and tables, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., Bath charity report for 1785, and copies of conveyances of hospital and baths from the Duke of Devonshire to the trustees. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
![The number of Out-patifnts orlmitted during the year was 2M, or within of tbo number admittPtl during the preceding year. Of these, I!*:; are reported to liave been discharfrnd improved, 4 to have been no better, 'M to have left without report, and to have been on the books on the .list l)ecember. The Subscribers are again reminded that these un- reported canes muRt be most unRHtisfactory to all concerned. It is a matter which can only be dealt with by tho Subscribers who recommend tliem. It is a gratifying circumstanco that many of these Tatients belong to the better classes o( jjonr people, and deserve every charitable consideration, as not being able to obtain tlin medical advice and the gratuitous use of the Baths and waters without the helji of this Institution ; some consist of tliose who cannot def.-r th^ visit to lJuxton imtil avnibible vacant beds are obtainable, and probably the majority of tli< vi i;) r. not have been able to obtain In-patieot'a recommendations. It liad been a matter of regret, during tiie earlier years of the existence of the Knppiidl, that no report peemed obtainable as to the final result of the Hospital tn atoient; and during the last ten years a form, printed on a postal card, has been given to evtry In-patient on leaving the Hospital, to be tilled np and returned six weeks after discharge. I>uring tho ten vears 12.of these cards have been received, H.s7:t are reportf il as improved, l.iJTii as no better, and >»; as having died. I>uring l*^'*^. 1>'.M) of these postal cards have been received, and I.M', are .'•If-rrfwrtrtl.'.i.r irrrk.^ uttrr havinn h-ft thr Ifon/iltol. as improved. 't'M as no better, and >t arc rej>orted as having dietl. The long duration, tho chronic character, and the severity of a very large number of these cases, mupt be borne in mind in estimating the value of this record. It may, pe rhaps, be imperfect at the best, and the inferences from it may be more or less uncertain. Any remaining lameness would intluonco the report rf the I'atient. or any other sahent interference with health, streu^'th, or ability, and notwith>^tanding any amount of general imjirovement in most particulars, constitutional or otherwise. Moreover, the number ( f the deaths tluis recorded, within so few weeks after leaving the Hospital, is sr.flicient index to the grave nature of many of these cases. But. taking all the circumstances into consideration, as to the nature of the principal ailment, vi?..: rhetimatism, as to its probable chronic condition, and as to the failure of previous treatment, it must be held that the results thus reported are rciuarkul'le an»l eati^f ict' ry beyoud auy reasonable expectation. The avcra;:c nu::/iH-r of r.ifient- liai'.y rosi j»iil in tiic Hospital has been 1 1' '2. The number in the Hospital ha, as tisiril, varied considerably during the several months of tlie year. The nutuher of beds occupied during January was only :<3 '.>; during Feliruary. only HT-'J ; during I^Iarch, only '.•'J *J ; during April, only 11^ 2 ; during May, is.VT ; during .Tune, 211»-1 ; during .Tiily, 'irj.'VS; during August. 'J71'X ; during September, 'iiJH ti ; during October, III-'; during November, onlv M(i.mrmd during December, only .'O-'.t. The average nuuibcr of days in tiic Hosj-ital per Patient has been It is a reasonable assumption tiiat a longer stay in the Hospital would often be desirable if the means were alTorded. The average cost per day of each Patient has been 2?. .'I^d. The average cost for each P.'\tit'nt for three wooiis has been £2 Hs. l]d. There is a certain outlay on what are known as medical comforts or medical necessaries,^ dependent upon extra diets, aprcially ordered by the medical stalY. This charge is believed to be as small as would be desirable. A great dithculty in hospital management must always be to steer a middle course between kindly ixpenditure and unwise or needless outlay. Severe cases must add pro-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24768340_0015.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
