Fever hospital drawing mystery sparks plea for help
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A RAIGMORE consultant and his father who are building a history of the Highlands’ hospitals have appealed for help in identifying a drawing of an old building.
The picture, which is labelled ‘fever hospital’, was donated by Inverness nurse Netta Macintyre but, after some investigation, what the picture is of remains a mystery.
Jim Leslie and his son Steve, a consultant cardiologist at Raigmore Hospital, established the History of Highland Hospital project and also made extensive use of archive material to research their book, "History of Highland Hospitals". However, they cannot identify the building in question.
Jim Leslie said: "The picture is of a stone-built single storey building. There is a long block to the rear with two wings projecting forward. From the chimney arrangement, each wing appears to have two wards. It would be normal for the rear block to contain kitchen, admin area and nurses’ quarters, although the size suggests perhaps a further two wards.
"We have seen illustrations for the fever hospitals in Highland and it does not resemble any of those. We are not even sure if this building was based in Highland so I am really hoping someone out there knows where it is!"
The drawing was contained within an original frame labelled ‘Highland Bazaar 10 Church Street Inverness proprietor F (Findlay) Macivor’, a shop which is understood to have existed from around 1900 until the early 1920s.
Mr Leslie added: "Even though it is framed in Inverness, it does not mean that is where the picture is from.
"It is a more substantial building than would normally be set aside for cholera or smallpox. What is unusual is that the two ward blocks seem to sit in front of a much longer building behind making it a fairly substantial fever hospital. It could be that the two wards at the front have been added to an existing cottage hospital.
"It is a mystery at the moment where this hospital is based so I really do hope someone recognises this image and gets in touch."
If you recognise the picture, email jim.leslie1@tesco.net or stephen.leslie@nhs.net.
