Orthopædic and Spinal Hospital— Was founded in June, 1817, the present establishment in Newhall Street being entered upon in December, 1877. All kinds of bodily deformity, hernia, club feet, spinal diseases, malformations, and distortions of limbs, &c., are treated daily (at two o'clock) free of charge, except where instruments or costly supports are needed, when the patient must be provided with subscribers' tickets in proportion to the cost thereof. In 1881 and 1882, 4,116 cases received attention, 2,064 being new cases, and 678 from outside Birmingham. The variety of diseases was very numerous, and instruments to the value of £420 were supplied to the patients.
Skin and Lock Hospital, Newhall Street, was founded in 1880, and opened Jan. 10, 1881. Admission on payment of registration fee, attendance being given at two o'clock on Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday in each week.
Smallpox Hospital.—A few years back, when there was a pretty general epidemic of smallpox, a temporary ward or addition was attached to the Workhouse, but many persons whose intelligence led them to know the value of isolation in such cases, could not "cotton" to the idea of going themselves or sending their friends there. The buildings in Weston Road, Winson Green, and now known as the Borough Hospital, have no connection whatever with the Workhouse, and were opened for the reception of persons suffering from smallpox and scarlet fever in Nov. 1874. The latter cases are now taken to the Hospital in Lodge Road, so that present accommodation can be found in the Borough Hospital for nearly 250 patients at a time should it ever be necessary to do so. Persons knowing of any case of smallpox should at once give notice to the officers of health at Council House.
Hotels.—This French-derived name for inns, from what Hutton says on the subject, would appear to have been only introduced in his day, and even then was confined to the large coaching-houses of the town, many of which have long since vanished. The first railway hotel was the Queen's, at the entrance of the old railway station. Duddeston Row, though originally built and used for oflieers for the company's secretaries, directors' boardroom, &c. As part of the New Street Station, a far more pretentious establishment was erected, and to this was given the title of the "Queen's Hotel," the Duddeston Row building reverting to its original use. The Great Western Hotel was the next to be built, and the success attending these large undertakings have led to the erection of the handsome Midland Hotel, opposite New Street Station, and the still grander "Grand Hotel," in Colmore Row, opened Feb. 1, 1879. The removal of the County Court to Corporation Street, and the possible future erection of Assize Courts near at hand, have induced some speculators to embark in the erection of yet another extensive establishment, to be called the "Inns of Court Hotel," and in time course of time we shall doubtless have others of a similar character. At any of the above, a visitor to the town (with money in his purse) can find first class accommodation, and (in comparison with the London hotels of a like kind) at reasonably fair rates. After these come a second grade, more suitable for commercial gentlemen, or families whose stay is longer, such as the new Stork Hotel, the Albion, in Livery Street. Bullivant's, in Carr's Lane, the Acorn, the Temperance at the Colonnade, and the Clarendon, in Temple Street. Dingley's, in Moor Street. Knapp's, in High Street. Nock's, in Union Passage, the Plough and Harrow, in Hagley Road, the Swan, in New Street, the White Horse, in Congreve {Street (opposite Walter Showell and Sons' head offices), the Woolpack, in Moor Street, and the other Woolpack, now called St. Martin's, at the back of the church.
