Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is in the 21st century, simply indicating the institution's "hospitality" to those less fortunate. Nevertheless, one of the top priorities of the committee at the Foundling Hospital was children's health, as they combated smallpox, fevers, consumption, dysentery and even infections from everyday activities like teething that drove up mortality rates and risked epidemics. With their energies focused on maintaining a disinfected environment, providing simple clothing and fare, the committee paid less attention to and spent less on developing children's education. As a result, financial problems would hound the institution for years to come, despite the growing "fashionableness" of charities like the hospital.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Foundling Hospital (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).Foundling Hospital
Mecklenburgh Square, London King's Cross (London Borough of Camden)
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Geographical coordinates (GPS)
Latitude | Longitude |
---|---|
N 51.5247 ° | E -0.1197 ° |
Address
The Wolfson Centre
Mecklenburgh Square
WC1N 2AP London, King's Cross (London Borough of Camden)
England, United Kingdom
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