The Leeds Public Dispensary and Hospital on North Street provided free medical care for people who were unable to afford treatment. It was built from Portland Stone and opened in May 1904 to replace the previous dispensary located at the corner of New Briggate and Vicar Lane. It operated as a kind of pre-NHS accident and emergency unit and closed in 1971 when the work was transferred to St. James' Hospital. These wonderful photos , published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service., take you inside the dispensary to showcase the different departments and the patients it helped. READ MORE: wertsdfghjkdfghjkyuioertyuiopdfgh LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP RETRO NEWSLETTER:
7. Leeds Public Dispensary
The waiting hall in the dispensary in 1913. There was seating accommodation for 500. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
8. Leeds Public Dispensary
The operating theatrewhich performed more than 1,000 operations a year at this time. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
9. Leeds Public Dispensary
The dressing room in 1913. Nurses can be seen bandaging patients. In 1913 the dispensary had dressed over 3,000 cases in a year. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
10. Leeds Public Dispensary
The public dispensary and hospital can be seen on the left of this photo from the 1950s. | Artemis, Leeds City Council Photo: Artemis, Leeds City Council
11. Leeds Public Dispensary
The old dispensary building which opened in 1867, after demolition of the right wing. Pictured in August 1911. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
12. Leeds Public Dispensary
A laboratory in the old dispensary located on the corner of Vicar lane with New Briggate. On the left is a sink with bottle rack and test tubes, A table in the centre has a lamp, which is plugged into a ceiling light socket and a microscope. The fireplace has an advice notice for tuberculosis patients, the fire is laid ready for lighting, with a full coal scuttle to the right, a bookcase on the left also holds small items of medical equipment. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net