Tue 13th Feb 2024 |
John reminded us that the National Health service
that most of us have grown up with only existed since 5th July
1948. The opening statement in the NHS document bill states:
It will provide you with all medical, dental, and nursing care.
Everyone - rich or poor, man, woman or child-can use it or any
part of it. There are no charges, except for a few special
items. There are no insurance qualifications. But it is not a
"charity". You are all paying for it, mainly as taxpayers, and
it will relieve your money worries in time of illness. |
John Harrison. |
The statement (not a charity) is the key as
prior to this health care would be either paid for or via a
charity dispensary. There was a meeting in Chorley Town Hall on
the 1st Jan 1828 to establish a public dispensary in the town.
It was founded on 1st July 1828. |
National Health Service 1948 |
Dispensary & Parson's Brow in 1846. |
Parson's Brow from Market St. |
Looking down Parson's Brow. |
It was located on Parson’s brow off Market St. and medical care
would be in the home and various medical practitioners were
nominated. One was John Pollard who was also treasurer to the
Chorley Gaslight Company. He was also a churchwarden and his
name is commemorated on a stone sundial at St Laurence's Church
over the porch on the nave wall. The inscription reads:
JOHANNES POLLARD ET ROBERTUS TOPPING CUSTOSIAS SACRORUM
ANNO DOMINI MDCCCXXIIII (John Pollard and Robert Topping were
churchwardens in 1824) |
St Laurence's, Chorley Parish Church. |
|
John Pollard and Robert Topping were
churchwardens in 1824 |
Lancashire Dispensaries founded pre
1828 Manchester Royal Infirmary and Dispensary 1752
Liverpool Dispensary 1778. Lancaster Infirmary and Dispensary
1781. Ormskirk Dispensary 1797. Wigan Dispensary 1798
Preston Dispensary 1809. Bolton Infirmary and Dispensary
1814. Wavertree, Childwell and Allerton Dispensary 1819.
Chorlton, Rusholme and Moss Side Dispensary 1826. Southport
Infirmary and local Dispensary 1827 Ardwick and Ancoats
Hospital and Dispensary 1828. Salford, and Pendleton Royal
Hospital and Dispensary 1828. == Funding was by charitable
donations from various sources. There was even a Chorley
Dispensary Ball in 1844. Operating costs for the 1837-38 year
were £133 which included 3 shillings for leeches. Robinson’s
Directory of 1835 described the Dispensary as an “excellent
charity”. During 1845, 1542 patients were admitted of which
1315 (85%) were cured and 71 (5%) died. The population of
Chorley was increasing rapidly and when Cholera broke out in
1845 the Preston Chronicle said the “mortality has been very
considerable.” No exact figures were produced but the symptoms
were described as “Killed quickly and nastily by sudden
dehydration - shrivelled like raisins with blackened extremities
.. pouring watery fluid from their bowel.” |
The original Rawcliffe Hospital on
Gillibrand St. |
There was a considerable re-organisation in the town during the
1860s to 1890s and the founding of the Rawcliffe Hospital. That
would be part 2 at a future date.
Thanks to John for a
fascinating report on the medical advances to protect the
population. |
B.H. |