Report on the state of the lying-in hospitals, in Europe : to the managers of the Preston Retreat, and to the Obstetrical Committee of the College of Physicians / by James Bryan.

  • Bryan, James, 1810-1881.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the state of the lying-in hospitals, in Europe : to the managers of the Preston Retreat, and to the Obstetrical Committee of the College of Physicians / by James Bryan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    19/25 (page 18)
    MILAN. October, 1838. Visited the Lying-in Hospital and house for foundlings. In the former, the wards are clean and neat, and smaller than those of the latter. The females are admitted secretly ; the beds are Italian; the floor is of tile. There are a resident physician and an assistant, who lecture to the female pupils : these also reside in the house, and attend to the patients. Many of the women who have lost or parted with their children, act as wet nurses to the children of others. The number of children at present in the hospital is about six hundred ; and the numbers received during the year 1836, was 2289 ; and in 1837, it was 2715. Nine cases cameinlast night: one of which was aseven months child. There are no curtains to the beds; small beds for children of iron. Very many cripples and much deformity is seen among those who remain in the house. The children are wrapped up like little mummies; and at this time great numbers of them are being swept off by small-pox. The necessary consequence of such an institution is, that many •of the infants have to be fed by the hand; and it is interesting to examine the daily reports given to the authorities of their children. Of a hundred at present in the house, 64 are fed by wet nurse. Of these, 48 are reported well, and 16 sick. Of forty fed by hand, 30 are reported sick, and 10 well. FLORENCE. Accompanied Prof. N-. through the Lying-in Hospital; there are about forty beds—but few cases. The whole affair looks poor, and of little importance ; the wards being small, low, and not well aired or supplied with light. My stay in Rome was much protracted by the delay necessary to obtaining information relative to a line institution there termed St. Rocco. After writing to the proper officers of State through our Consul, and having several interviews with the Secretary of State— the Cardinal who presides over the institution, &c., I succeeded in obtaining a letter from the former, giving a full account of the hos-