146 SOUTH DEVON AND EAST 



The Public Dispensary, founded in the year 1798, 

 may justly be considered as the parent of the South 

 Devon and East Cornwall Hospital, since the ex- 

 perience of its advantages has long directed the 

 attention of many of its friends to the desirableness 

 of adding to its usefulness by uniting it with a Hos- 

 pital for the reception of in-patients, and of extend- 

 ing the important benefits of such an institution to 

 that portion of the two counties, of which Plymouth 

 forms the centre ; since within a radius of twenty 

 miles is contained a population of above 200,000 

 persons, having no similar institution nearer than 

 Exeter Hospital on the east, the Truro Infirmary on 

 the west, and that of Barnstaple on the north. 



Subscriptions for erecting a suitable building have 

 been received from many affluent and humane indi- 

 viduals throughout the neighbourhood; and the 

 Committee are proceeding with the central portion 

 of the structure in the full confidence that the further 

 sums requisite for its completion will be supplied by 

 public benevolence, and that they will be enabled to 

 open the Hospital with accommodation calculated 

 for the reception of not fewer than 40 patients. 



The affairs of the Dispensary will be carried on 

 in the new Hospital, while the income from the 

 accumulated funds of the former will be kept entirely 

 distinct, and the annual contributions thereto so 

 carefully arranged, that subscribers to the original 

 institution will have the satisfaction of knowing that 

 its interests instead of being prejudiced, will be ma- 

 terially advanced by the union of the two establish- 

 ments. 



It was by adopting a like prudent and gradual 

 mode of procedure, that the Dispensary was success- 

 fully established. When first formed, its apartments 

 were in the Mayoralty house ; and subsequently, 

 after some years occupation of a hired house in How 

 Street, the Governors were enabled to erect the 

 present building in Catherine Street, by the aid of a 

 munificent bequest of £1,000 from the late Charles 

 Yonge, Esq. 



