refpective Countries, were unfit or impracticable to be wholely executed in his Kingdom; yet they afforded useful Inftructions, for the forming a Plan for the Government of this Hofpital.

THE Governors finding that the Laws then in being for the Provifion of the Poor, would render the carrying their Defign into Execution extremely difficult, if not impracticable, without the Affiftance of Parliament, obtained an A&t in the 13th Year of his prefent Majefty, entitled an Act for confirming and enlarging the Powers granted by his Majefty, to the Governors and Guardians of the Hofpital for the Maintenance and Education of expofed and deferted young Children, by his most gracious Charter, bearing Date the 17th October, 1739; and to enable them to execute the good Purposes of the faid Charter they proceeded, and to appoint a Committee; to form By-Laws for the Government of the Corporation; and also a Plan for the Execution of the Charity. This was accordingly reported to the General Committee on the 16th of July, 1740, and was foon after approved by the General Court; and with fome few Alterations fince made, has been a Rule for the Government of the Corporation, and the Management of the Children. This, together with the By-Laws, and the Act of Parliament, and Charter, has been from Time to Time printed and diftributed to all the Go

vernors.

THE Committee ordered circular Letters to be wrote and diftributed in feveral different Parts of this Kingdom, to defire Information where Nurfes might be procured for the Hospital, and

B

where

where Children might be well taken Care of, at the most reasonable Prices.

THEY alfo fought out a Place for erecting an Hospital, and the Earl of Salisbury's Estate in Lambs-Conduit Fields, being fixed on as the moft convenient Situation, they applied to him for the Purchase of that Estate, which his Lordfhip, out of Regard to the Charity, not only fold to the Corporation at a very reasonable Price, but also beftowed on them a noble Benefaction.

As the Building an Hofpital would neceffarily take up much Time, and the Governors were extremely defirous to begin to take in Children, they came to a Refolution on the 8th of May, 1740, that Sixty Children fhould be taken in, with proper Officers, Nurses, and Servants, as foon as a House could be provided.

IN Confequence of this Refolution, they hired a House in Hatton-Garden, which they fitted up and furnished, and provided proper Officers, Servants, and Nurfes. This took up the Remainder of the Year, fo that the first taking in of Children was on Lady-Day, 1741; at which Time 30 Children were taken in, two wet Nurses only being then provided, and dry Nurfes for the other Children. At the first taking in, the Children who were brought were admitted: Soon after 30 more, in the fame Manner were received, and the Number of wet Nurfes were encreased, for Experience then fhewed this to be the fafeft Method of nurfing Children, tho' out of 136 Children, which were taken in the first Year, only 66 died within the Year.

THAT

THAT eminent and worthy Physician Sir Hans Sloane, in a Letter which he fent to the Committee of this Hospital, among many other ufeful Obfervations, takes Notice, that of Thirty Children taken in the 25th of March, 1741, two were put to wet Nurfes, of which neither died in the Year; whereas of Twenty-eight put to dry Nurses, fifteen died; that of Thirty admitted April 17th, 1741, feven were put to wet Nurfes, of which one only died; whereas of Twenty-three put to dry Nurfes, eleven died, and of Thirty more taken in, May the 8th, 1741, feventeen were put to wet Nurses, of whom four died; thirteen to dry Nurfes, of whom eight died, and Sir Hans in the fame Letter, fays that he had for fifty Years obferved, that of three Infants bred without the Breaft, two generally died, notwithstanding what he or others could do to help them.

THE Committee alfo obferved, that of the young Children which were fent into the Country, many lefs died in Proportion to the Number, than of those who remained in the Hofpital; viz. of the 136 Children taken in, eighty were sent into the Country, of which twenty-nine died in the Year; fifty-fix were kept in Town, of which, forty-five died in the Year. This was not owing to any Want of Care, but probably to the Air of London being lefs pure, and especially in a Place where Numbers of Nurfes and Children were kept in too small a Compafs.

THESE Observations determined the Committee to come to a Refolution, to fend

all the Children which fhould be taken in, as foon as poffible, into the Country, to remain there until three Years of age; and that all fuch as would fuck, fhould be nurfed by wet Nurses only.

ON the 24th of March, 1741, a Committee was appointed to confider of a Plan for erecting an Hofpital on the Estate lately purchased of the Earl of Salisbury, which on the 30th of June, 1742, was approved by the general Court, and ordered to be executed under the Direction of Mr. James Horne, who generously offered to perform the Office of Surveyor without any Reward.

THEY caused Advertisements to be published for Workmen to contract for the feveral Sorts of Work to be done, and contracted with those, whofe Proposals were moft beneficial for the Charity. On the 16th of September following, the firft Stone of the Hospital was laid at the South Eaft Corner of the Weft Wing, by John Milner, Efq; one of the Vice-Prefidents of the Hofpital, with this Infcription on a Copper Plate.

The Foundation of this Hofpital was laid the 16th of Sept. 16th of George IId. 1742.

IN October following, the Method formerly used for the taking in Children, having been found inconvenient, by Reason of the Croud, which was occafioned by Perfons ftriving who fhould first deliver in their Children; the Committee refolved to take in Children, by Ballot.

ON

On the 8th of January, 1743, the Committee defired Doctor Conyers, the Physician of the Hofpital, to confider of the best Method for inoculating of the Children then in the House; and the Report made by him being very fatisfactory, he was defired to proceed on fuch Inoculation as foon as poffible. Several Children were accordingly inoculated, who had no bad Accident attending them. Since that Time, all other Children who have been returned to the Hofpital, without having had that Diftemper in the natural Way, have been inoculated under the Care of Doctor Conyers the Physician, and Mr. Winchester the Surgeon to the Hofpital, which has been attended with great Succefs, without the Lofs of one Child, or any ill Confequence.

THE Governors thought it would be for the Benefit of the Charity, to dine together annually at their own Expence, and appointed the 4th of April, 1744, for their first annual Meeting on this Occafion; which Meeting has been fince changed to the fecond Wednesday in May, being the Day appointed by the Charter for the Election of a Committee and Officers.

IN Odober, 1745, one Wing of the Hofpital being finished, the Committee ordered the Children to be kept in the new Hofpital, and quitted the House in Hatton-Garden.

THE General Court being informed that a Chapel was much wanted, and that feveral Ladies of the firft Quality, and other Perfons of Diftinction and Fortune, were defirous to contribute to fo good and neceffary a Work, came

to