300 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Infirmary Street.
He had, moreover, to say prayers twice weekly,
and be ever ready to attend the dying when summoned
by them.
In 1763 a number of Scottish soldiers disbanded
on the great reduction of the army in that year, sick,
lame, and destitute, applied for admission to the
hospital. On this, an extraordinary meeting of the
managers was summoned, and their application was
granted, though the former did not consider themselves
bound in any way to do so ; and in that year,
Three were struck down ; two recovered, but one
became delirious.
The Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons had
been in the habit of giving medical attendance
in monthly rotation; but the managers, finding
this to prove inconvenient, selected two regular
physicians and four expert surgeons, to whom
various departments were committed. The four
latter were named substitutes, and divided the
year equally, so that each had his own quarter.
(Sot. Ma,a Vol. XXX.)
THE OLD ROYAL INFIRMARY. (After & Drawing by Paul Sandby, in Muiflands ?History of Edinburglr.?)
in pursuance of an order he received from the Commander-
inchief, Dr. Adam Austin commenced a
regular visitation of the military wards, on the state
of which he was bound to report to the Adjutant-
General in Scotland. The Doctor was a Fellow of
the Royal College of Surgeons. He married Anne,
daughter of Hugh Lord Semple, and left a daughter
who died so lately as March, 1864, aged IOO years
and more. (Scotsman,qth March, 1864.)
In 1768 the whole edifice narrowly escaped
destruction, apparently not .being provided with a
lightning conductor. On the 30th of July the south
wing was struck furiously by lightning; many of
the windows were destroyed and the building much
damaged; several of the patients felt the shock.
The other surgeons, or ordinaries of the Incorporation,
attended by monthly rotation. The four
substitutes, besides their quarterly attendance, had
their monthly tour of duty with the rest; ?and
when the month of any of the four fell in with his
quarter, then, either the next substitute in order
was to become his assistant, or he was to apply for
the assistance of another for that month, thzt the
attendance of two might at no time be wanting in
the Infirmary,?
Such was . the organised system of attendance ;
besides all this, the managers enjoined these substitutes?
to be present at all consultations, to take
charge of all dresses and dressings, of the record
of surgical cases kept by the surgeons? clerks, and
