Historian appointed to document the life and times of the nation's favourite children's hospital

Published: 25 June 2010

New book will celebrate the work of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill in Glasgow. It will also look at childhood diseases - past and present.

The University has appointed a historian to document the history of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill in Glasgow.

The appointment of Dr Iain Hutchison by the University’s Centre for the History of Medicine, comes as the hospital prepares to celebrate its centenary in 2014.

Over the next two years, Dr Hutchison will work with Dr Malcolm Nicholson, Director of the Centre for the History of Medicine, and Lawrence Weaver, Professor of Child Health, both of the University, to research and write the historical book.

The history of Yorkhill, based on oral histories, its archives, commissioned essays and other sources, will be accompanied by a website which will include a picture gallery and reminiscences of staff, patients and others involved in the life and work of the hospital since 1914.

Dr Hutchison said he hopes members of the public will also get in touch with him to share their stories and recollections of Yorkhill.

The Royal Hospital for Sick Children is largest children’s hospital in Scotland, and the site of the oldest and first established university department of paediatrics in Great Britain.

The Department of Child Health has a long history of outstanding clinical research into diseases now forgotten, like rickets, and modern day paediatric problems such as childhood obesity. The book will give a flavour of the changing nature of padiatric medicine.

Dr Nicolson said: "We are very pleased that Dr Hutchison will be joining us to work on this exciting project. He is very well qualified for this task, as author of a recent history of disability in nineteenth century Scotland. We expect this book will not only be a historical account of Glasgow's much loved children's hospital, but also put its life and history into context, within the great changes which have occurred in the care and fortunes of sick children over the last century."

"The project has been generously funded by the University‘s Senate, Faculty of Medicine and the Chancellor’s Fund," Professor Weaver added.

"Other partners, including the Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board, Yorkhill Children’s Foundation, Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow and the Wellcome Trust, have also contributed generously to the project."

It is hoped that the book, will be completed before the hospital closes at its current site in the west of the city and relocates to the Southern General Hospital.

Founded jointly by the University and the directors of the children’s hospital in 1924. ,The department of Child Health has been responsible for teaching and training medical students and paediatricians for more than 80 years.


Dr Iain Hutchison can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: i.hutchison@arts.gla.ac.uk 

Mail:
Centre for the History of Medicine
Lilybank House
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ

For more media information please contact Eleanor Cowie, Media Relations Officer at University of Glasgow, on 0141 330 3683 or e.cowie@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 25 June 2010

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