This is a MUST for anyone who works in a hospital - nurses, doctors, and pharmacists in particular.
This was a very old hospital in used for CENTURIES for the poor. The audio tour is excellent - very detailed on how the nurses cared for patients, and also just detailed in how the hospital operated. The patients stayed in the main hall, and it seemed like they were cleverly placed from head-to-toe beds, which helps prevent contamination. The nurses would pull the curtains from the main hall to do a procedure on a patient to protect patient privacy, and worked on the opposite side of the bed. I loved seeing all the medical instruments used in ancient times - one being the self enema. Omigod. This invention is so disgusting (can't believe it was for multiple patient use), yet so genius protecting patient dignity! Haha. Great to help nurses save time too.
There is a really neat pharmacy, with the original products and moldings present used to make suppositories, pills, and also this giant mixer with a huge rope, which was used to help pound substances that needed a lot of weight. The room next to the pharmacy contains several different jars of ancient ingredients, thought to treat illnesses such as Syphilis, etc. And no, not Penicillin that you are thinking of, but rather weird things you can't even imagine. There is also a kitchen as part of the tour, where nurses would make 3-4 meals a day for the patients, including prescribed wine based on sex and age, as back in the day they thought it was curative.
Not only was this an amazing hospital tour, but the building is so beautiful with the patterned shingled roof! This is a better tour than most. Give yourself at least an hour. The gift shop has great postcards and regular greeting cards that are excellent for friends in the medical field. read more