Over 30 years of MRI at Addenbrooke’s

A unique celebration held on Wednesday 15 November 2017 to mark 30 years of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at Addenbrooke’s A unique celebration was held on Wednesday 15 November 2017 to mark 30 years of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Past and present charity fundraisers, clinicians, scientists, equipment suppliers and hospital staff gathered …

Annual Reports

Addenbrooke's Hospital has produced an annual report since 1767. The first ones were called "The State of Addenbrooke's Hospital" and the one for  the year ending at Michaelmas 1806 is available on line.

Rules and Orders of the Public Hospital in the Town of Cambridge: Founded by Dr John Addenbrooke

When the hospital opened the Governors produced a set of 'Rules and orders for the well running of the Infirmary'.  You can find a copy of the one 1778 here, it makes interesting reading. From page 10 you will see the rules for the admission and discharge of patients, which starts by saying that patients will be …

Humphry and Old Age

George Murray Humphry was appointed surgeon to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in 1842 at the age of only 22, and this gave him the distinction of being the youngest surgeon in England.  Humphry with George Paget, physician to Addenbrooke’s, were instrumental in forging the links between the hospital and the University to make a clinical school in …

Pharmacy

This is one of my favourite images from the Archives collection at Addenbrooke's Hospital AHPH1/2/87 Pharmacy at Old Addenbrooke's probably taken in the early 1920s. Showing an apprentice in a protective apron using a tincture press, with a mortar and pestle in the foreground. The Pharmacy staff at Addenbrooke's today have started a Twitter account @CUH_Pharmacy  …

The benefits of Champagne

I recently came across this entry in the minutes of the Drug and Instrument Committee held on 26 Feb 1909: 'The Dispenser reported that the cupboard in which he keeps the champagne, brandy etc. had been burst open one night during the week, as some Champagne was required for a case in one of the …

The Right Reverend Thomas Turton

This is another of the portraits we have in the hospital archives .   The Right Reverend Thomas Turton who was born in Hatfield, West Riding in 1780, where his father was a Surgeon & Apothecary - and he died in 1864 in London.  He was the Bishop of Ely from 1845-1864 and a benefactor to …

The Eleanor Cripps Diabetes and Endocrine Centre

Just over 20 years ago in April 1999 Lord Butterfield opened the new diabetes and endocrine Centre at Addenbrooke's. The new centre was called the The Eleanor Cripps Diabetes and Endocrine Centre as a tribute to Eleanor Cripps who died of kidney failure after having longstanding diabetes.  The new centre was made possible by the …

Using the Archives

Some of the records held in the Hospital Archives can be used for Family History, but how do people find if their ancestor has been a patient in the Hospital?  One way is from reports in local newspapers such as this one in The Cambridge Independent Press of Friday 29 Dec 1916: I found the entry …

Hospital Administrator 3

This is third and final instalment of the memories of a former Hospital Administrator of Addenbrooke's Hospital. Over the next three weeks I am going to share with you the memories of a former Hospital Administrator of Addenbrooke's Hospital. As regards the building itself, the airiness and sense of space was most attractive to everybody; …