Chelsea, in the Olden & Present Times

by George Bryan

THE CANCER HOSPITAL.

This hospital is situated in the Fulham Road, almost facing the Consumption Hospital. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed on Monday, May 30, 1859, by Miss Burdett Coutts, in the presence of a very numerous and respectable company, including Dr. Tait, Bishop of London, Archdeacon Sinclair, Rev. D. Coleridge, Rev. J. B. Owen, the Rev. Fathers Ballard and Bagshawe, Priests of the Oratory, at Brompton, &c.

The Rev. Thomas Pearson commenced the proceedings with prayer, after which the Bishop of London addressed the assemblage, and said they were met to lay the foundation stone of a most excellent institution, destined to bestow great blessings on a large portion of the community—a house for the reception of persons afflicted with a most painful disease, demanding the greatest sympathy from all friends of humanity. His Lordship, at the close of his address, prayed for its permanency and success.

Miss Coutts having deposited the bottle, with the usual contents, in a cavity in the lower stone and spread the mortar, the upper stone was duly lowered into its place, after which Miss Coutts gave the customary knocks and declared the stone duly laid.

The Rev. J. B. Owen next addressed the assembly, after which John Abel Smith, Esq., proposed thanks to Miss Coutts for having done them the honour of laying the foundation stone of the hospital. The Bishop of London said that he had been requested by Miss Coutts to acknowledge the compliment paid her, and to assure them that she should continue to take the greatest interest in the prosperity of the Institution.

The building has a frontage of 130 ft. and a depth of 50 ft., surrounded by an area of 10 ft., securing to the building the means of convenient external communication and ventilation. It is constructed of plain white Suffolk bricks, relieved with bands of red brick, keystones, and cornices of stone dressing. The lower story contains the kitchens, larders, and the rooms for the out-patients. The principal ground floor is approached by a flight of steps, and this contains the hall and a handsome staircase of stone, apartments for the house-surgeon and medical officers, and wards for patients. Apparatus for heating and ventilating the building is provided—everything, in short, that is calculated to add to the comforts and assist the recovery of the patients. On the first story are the wards. In the males it appears this direful disease shows itself more frequently in the face, lip, and tongue, and among some of them in the breast. Of the females nearly five-sixths suffer in the breast.

The building, in all its details, has been open about six years. It was erected from the design of David Mocatta, Esq., by Messrs. Lawrence, at a cost of £7,000. William Marsden, M.D. was the founder.

HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION.

This is another admirable Institution, and, although it is situated just beyond the boundary of Chelsea parish, on the north of the Fulham Road, it has a very strong claim to be noticed in this work. It is a beautiful Elizabethan structure, built in the shape of the letter H, the depth of each wing being 190 ft., and the width of the building 200 ft. It stands in a square piece of ground covering three acres, and faces the public road. On entering the Lodge-gate there are three broad drives, one to the central entrance, which opens to a cheerful hall upon the first floor; another to the east entrance, which leads to the offices for the transaction of the hospital business; and the third to the west entrance, which is for the use of inmates and the friends of the in-patients on visiting days.

The ground floor is on a level with the gardens. The west wing and part of the centre of this floor contain the Dispensary and Out-patient-rooms, Laboratory, Museum, and Sitting-rooms of the Resident Clinical Assistants. The east wing contains the apartments of the Resident Medical Officer and Matron, Linen-room, Store-room, Secretary’s Office, Board-room, &c.

The first floor is devoted exclusively to Female Patients, saving small rooms for the Chaplain, and for each of the two Head Nurses, and the two requisite Sculleries, Baths, and Lavatories.

The arrangements of the second floor are precisely the same as those on the first floor; the wards being occupied by Male Patients, for whom there are about 107 beds.

The attic floor has comfortable dormitories for the Nurses and Servants, and in the Tower-rooms are the sleeping apartments of the Resident Clinical Assistants.

The Chapel stands on the north side of the hospital, and parallel with the centre portion. The approach is by a corridor opposite the front entrance, to which the patients have immediate access from their respective galleries. The chaplain is the Rev. E. B. Allen, B.A., whose faithful exhortations and kind manner of addressing the patients have gained for him the esteem of all who know his worth.

His late R.H. the Prince Consort laid the foundation stone of the hospital in 1844.

The Home.—This Institution is conducted and maintained by a few benevolent Ladies, as an auxiliary to the above hospital, for persons who are either waiting their turns for admission to the hospital, or after leaving it, during the necessary time occupied in the full re-establishment of their health and their search for employment. This excellent “Home” is at Manor House, near Durham Place, Chelsea.