| 258 | B A R | |
don and Southwark, but the distressed
of any other parts of the King's domi-
nions, and from foreign countries, are
taken in, whether sick or maimed, and
have lodging, food, attendance, and
medicines, with the advice and assist-
ance of some of the best Physicians and
Surgeons in the kingdom, who belong
to the hospital, and attend the patients
as occasion requires; they have also
matrons and nurses, to look after and
assist them; and at their discharge when
cured, some, who live at a considerable
distance, are relieved with money, cloaths,
and other necessaries, to enable them to
return to their several habitations. Pity
it is that so noble and humane a founda-
tion should want any thing to render it
perfect, and that every sick person who
is admitted, except such as have suffered
by sudden accidents, as the fracture or
dislocation of a bone, should be obliged
to deposit or give security for the pay-
ment of a guinea, in case of death, in
order to defray the expence of the fune-
ral; for by this some of the poorest and
most miserable, and consequently the
most proper objects, are unhappily ex-
cluded from reaping the benefit they
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might otherwise receive from it: but
this is also the case of several of the other
hospitals of this city; however many
thousands of persons labouring under
the most dreadful diseases and wounds,
are annually cured at this hospital, and
in those of Kent street in Southwark,
and the Lock at Kingsland, both of
which are dependent on it. Besides all
this, there are great numbers of out-
patients, who receive advice and medi-
cines gratis.
The ancient hospital which escaped
the fire of London becoming ruinous, it
was found absolutely necessary in the
year 1729 to rebuild it; a plan for that
purpose was formed, and a grand edifice
erected, by subscription, which was de-
signed to be only one out of four noble
detached piles of building, to be after-
wards raised, about a court or area 250
feet in length, and 60 in breadth.
The original design is now nearly
completed, and this hospital altogether
forms a very elegant building, or rather
buildings, for the sides which compose
the quadrangle do not join at the angles,
as is usual, but by four walls, each
having a large gate which admits you
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