A Chronology of State Medicine, Public Health, Welfare and Related ...

1721 - 1739
1721 Robert Walpole became First Lord of the Treasury; the first to be called Prime
Minister.
Guy's Hospital, London, founded; opened 1725-6.
1722 Settlement, Imployment and Relief of the Poor Act (9 Geo.I, c.7) urged parishes to
make greater use of workhouses, and provided for parishes to combine in whatever way they
chose to share workhouses or to contract out the care of paupers. See 1729.
Apothecaries' exempted from serving as parish and ward officers and upon juries (see
1694) became permanent (9 Geo.I, c.8).
1725-6 "The History of Physick from the Time of Galen to the Beginning of the Sixteenth
Century" by John Freind (1675-1728, physician), the first English historian of medicine.
1726 Better Regulation of the Woollen Manufacture Act (13 Geo.I, c.23) declared that all
disputes and demands relating to work and wages between manufacturers and weavers or
other persons employed shall be heard and determined by two or more justices of the peace,
and that any person aggrieved by their decision may appeal to the next General Quarter
session.
Edinburgh University established a medical faculty and the first chair of obstetrics in
Great Britain.
1729 Poor Law Act (3 Geo.II c.29) tightened up the regulations as to the issue of settlement
certificates and the orders that costs of removal shall be paid by the parish of settlement. See
1744.
Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Members of Parliament Act (2 Geo.II, c.24)
strengthened the 1696 act. See 1827.
Foundation of Edinburgh Infirmary; Royal Charter granted in 1736; foundation stone
of a permanent building laid in 1738 and the building was opened in 1741.
1733 Bastardy Act (6 Geo.II c.31) ordered that fathers of bastard children shall be committed
to gaol until they gave security to indemnify the parish from expense. See 1744 and 1773.
Foundation of St George's Hospital, London. Glasgow Town's Hospital opened.
1734 Infirmary founded at Bristol.
1735 Conjuration and Witchcraft Act (9 Geo.II, c.5) repealed previous witchcraft acts and
made persons ("Pretenders") claiming to have arts or powers whereby "ignorant persons are
frequently deluded or defrauded" such as by witchcraft, sorcery, inchantment, conjuration,
fortune telling or other occult or crafty science liable to punishment on conviction. See 1951.
1737 Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh founded.
1738-9 Special rates amalgamated with the poor rate.
1739 Foundation of a maternity hospital in London, later to become Queen Charlotte's
Hospital.