Royal Victoria Dispensary

Category

Library Item

Item no

8985

Title

Royal Victoria Dispensary

Description

A lady is lying propped up by an open window whilst being visited by a nurse from the Royal Victoria Dispensary, Edinburgh. The patient is knitting and is covered by a blanket. Beside her is a chair with a basket on top and a jug. The nurse is standing wearing a long white pinafore and a black bonnet.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1905

Size

28.2 x 36.1 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Robert Willan Philip founded the Victoria Dispensary for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest in 1887. The Royal Victoria Hospital was founded in 1894, and Polton Farm Colony in 1910. Altogether these formed the nucleus of the "Edinburgh Scheme" for fighting tuberculosis. The Dispensary, Hospital and Farm Colony were given to the City of Edinburgh in 1914 and the Royal Victoria Tuberculosis Trust was created.

The Royal Victoria Hospital is located just off Craigleith Road in the west of Edinburgh, immediately to the south of the Western General Hospital. The hospital began life as a private residence, Craigleith House, which was converted in 1894 into a hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis. The Craigleith House building was demolished in the 1960's. The hospital now provides care for the elderly with a 200 bed medical assessment / rehabilitation unit and a 47 bed psychiatry unit.

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Related subjects

Healthcare and welfare > Healthcare and welfare facilities > Hospitals

People > Health and safety > Nurses

People > Health and safety > Sick persons

Places > Edinburgh areas > Tollcross

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

Sport and leisure > Activities > Knitting