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St Thomas's Hospital, one of
the oldest in Britain, was founded here in the 12th century.
When the hospital was moved further west to Lambeth in 1871
most of the buildings on the site were demolished to make
way for the railway.
The Old Operating Theatre, the
women's operating theatre, survived because it was located
away from the main buildings in a garret over the hospital
church. This building became the Chapter House of Southwark
Cathedral and the operating theatre lay bricked over and forgotten
until the 1950s.
As the only surviving 19th century
operating theatre in the country it offers a insight into
the fearsome medical practices of the day.
Restored to its original condition,
the operating theatre is as it was before the discovery of
anaesthetics or antiseptics. Only the poor would be
operated upon here, the rich would be treated at home on the
kitchen table. At the time, the lack of knowledge about
the spread of infection meant that 30% of their patients died
within three days of an operation.
Today, you have to climb a narrow
flight of steps to visit the belfry, and in an adjoining room
the ancient banks of viewing stands are in semicircles around
a wooden bed. The display shows how patients were blindfolded,
gagged and bound to the operating table, and the box of sawdust
underneath was used to sop up the blood.
The adjacent Herb Garret has
displays showing the history of surgery and herbal medicine. One
of the most important members of the hospital, the Apothecary,
would use herbs from the hospital's garden or buy them in
from outside.
There are also exhibits recording
the history of nursing at Guy's and St Thomas's hospitals,
both famous hospitals.
Admission charge
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2005: The Museum should remain open to the public until the
end of Novembe 2005 then closed for 16 weeks or more Ring
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