Dispensary Patient.....

Caroline · Post by **Caroline** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:37 am

I have found the DC for a relative of mine who died in 1873 in Glasgow at just 3 years old due to a disease of the brain. However in the part of the certificate where a doctor usually certifies the death it just had "Dispensary Patient"

Does anyone know what this means as I've never come accross it before now.

Caroline

Post by **joette** » Fri May 26, 2006 2:53 pm

I may be wrong but my understanding is that in the days before the NHS-God bless her warts & all,some Doctors offered their services for free or for a reduced fee.
They may have offered their services on a part-time basis & so the Dispensary may have had several Drs working there at one time.
In older hospital buildings/clinics you may still see the word Dispensary carved into the entranceway somewhere.
I think it may have offered limited inspace & treatment too.
I wonder what the "brain disease" was?

Post by **AnneM** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:50 pm

Possibly meningitis??

Anne