Health Care

Llandrindod Wells Cottage Hospital: Patients & Ailments

The hospital initially accommodated 6 adults and 2 children but by the time of the 1891 census it accommodated the following:

Census 1891
Llandrindod Wells Cottage Hospital
Name Position in
household
Marital
status
Age Occupation Place of Birth English/Welsh
speaker
Elizabeth Jeffrey Head S 43 Matron of hospital Scotland, Sterlingshire English
Sarah Evans Serv S 19 Nurse Glamorganshire, Ystalyfera English and Welsh
Fanny Williams Serv S 18 Cook Radnorshire, Llandewy English
Elizabeth Evans Serv S 18 Housemaid Glamorganshire, Ystalyfera English and Welsh
John Webb Patient S 27 Mason Herefordshire, Kington English
Samuel Conn Patient S 28 Shoehand Worcestershire, Claines English
Thomas Herbert P U 59 Gardener Suffolk, Denham English
Victor Tolwell P S 14 Scholar Kent, Littlebourne English
David Evans P S 22 Farm Labourer Radnorshire, Nantmel English
Josiah Williams P S 10 Scholar Breconshire, Erwood English
Robert Morris P S 4   Radnorshire, Aberedw English
Catherine Griffiths P S 26 Domestic Servant Radnorshire, Cefnbeathe English and Welsh
Mary A Rees P S 24 Domestic Servant Hereford, Michaelchurch English
Mary Walters P S 14 Nursemaid Breconshire, Beulah English
Sarah A Stephens P S 24   Radnorshire, Llangunllo English

As the town was a holiday resort, it was usual for many of the patients to be from outside the area, as was the case withFrancis Cooke who unfortunately had a vest stolen while in the hospital. Many people came to the town to take the waters and improve their health. In 1891, there were 137 patients admitted in total. These were from:

Radnorshire 57
Breconshire 28
Other counties 52

The hospital had a good record as far as treatment was concerned. 1891 saw only one death of a patient, from intestinal obstruction. 101 were discharged as cured, including a little boy from Aberedw, Robert Morris shown on the census. Of the remaining patients, 23 had improved and only 12 had not improved or were still undergoing treatment.

The diseases and injuries from which they suffered were listed as follows:

Anaemia 27 Gastric ulcer 5 Gout 2 Haemoptysis 1
Phythisis 16 Bone diseases 4 Pleurisy 2 Haemorrhoids 1
Rheumatism 10 Lupus 4 Bursitis 1 Hypochondriasis 1
Accident 9 Skin diseases 4 Cancer 1 Intestinal obstruction 1
Convalescents 9 Abcess 3 Chorea 1 Iritis 1
Dyspepsia 7 Asthma 3 Cystitis 1 Lymphadenoma 1
Cerebral diseases 6 Hysteria 3 Dentition 1 Phlebitis 1
Uterine diseases 6 Cardiac disease 2 Emphysema 1 Pneumonia 1
  Varicose veins 1

The byelaws by which the patients were required to abide were quite restrictive.

Some of the instruments used at the hospital have been preserved at the Radnorshire Museum


Llandrindod Cottage Hospital