firm stronghold o f the internists in their disputes o f competence with the surgeons
during these years. The establishment o f Det kongelige kirurgiske Akademi (The
Royal Academy o f Surgery) in 178 8 signifies the surgeons’ victory.
In 1803 both lines became represented in the new-established Sundhedskollegium
(Health Department). This worked until 19 0 7 , when it was dissolved after a conflict
with the goverment about its field o f function.
In 1909 Sundhedsstyrelsen (The National Health Service) was established.
In education medicin and surgery were two separate subjects until 18 3 4 , at which
time both sides were placed under the medical faculty o f the University o f Copen
hagen.
The hospitals and medical institutions in Copenhagen.
The oldest institution is St. Jørgens Hospital from 12 6 1 .
It was founded as a leprosy-hospital and for some time, when leprosy was abating,
it served as nursing hospital for patients suffering from sores and boils.
Helligåndshuset was built in 12 9 4 and was meant for the sick, the poor and the
homeless. For some time it was run by Helligåndsordenen, but was taken over by the
town after the Reformation.
In 1607 Kong Christian IV wanted to use the building, and the infirmary had to
move - first to the farm Vartov at Strandvejen, later to the workhouse o f Copenhagen
(by the present Triangel). Here it stayed until 16 5 9 , when the Swedes burnt down the
house. The inmates moved again and after several moves, they ended up in the street
o f Farvergade in the building still called the Vartov. In 19 34 they were moved to
Gammel Kloster in Lersø Park Allé.
Pesthuset was originally a part o f Helligåndshuset, called Den vesterske Bod, at first
used as an orphanage. A fter 1606 the building served as an isolationhospital and got
the name Pesthuset. In 16 3 2 the isolation ward was moved out o f the city to the place,
where nowadays Nørregade mns into Nørre Voldgade.
Pesthuset was destroyed like Ladegården in 16 59 , but it was rebuilt at Kalvebod
Strand in 16 6 5. Here it was working as a nursing home until 18 0 7 , when the building
was burnt down by the English. Fo r some time it had housed mental cases as well as
real nursing home patients. In 18 16 the institution moved to Bistrupgård near Ros
kilde. In 18 6 1 it was divided into a proper psychiatric ward (St. Hans Hospital), which
remained near Roskilde and a nursing home which was combined with Almindelig Hos
pital.
Among other institutions were St. Annæ Hospital from 1 5 16 , Brøndstrædes Hospi
tal from 15 5 0 and Poul Fechtels Hospital from 15 7 0 , all three o f them established to
care for the poor and the sick.
In the period from 1605 - 1649 orphans were sent to Christian the Fourth’s prison,
where these homeless and vagrant children were educated by working in the clothmill.
In 1662 another »children’s home» was established in Christianshavn. This institution
gradually changed and ended up as a reformatory for »disobedient children» and as a
prison for prostitutes. It served as a women’s prison until 19 20.
As a proper orphanage an institution was founded in a square o f the town called
Nytorv in 17 2 7 . In contrast to the earlier orphanages this institutions was no prison
but more like a home, even if the children had to work hard here as well.
No institution gave obstetric aid to the poor or took care o f infants until 17 5 0 ,
when Fødselsstiftelsen (Maternity Hospital) was established. Foundlings were brought
here, and the institution tried to place as many as possible in foster-homes.
In 17 5 9 Fødselsstiftelsen moved from Gothersgade to Amaliegade to be combined
with Frederiks Hospital.
Fødselsstiftelsen still exists as part o f Rigshospitalet (the National Hospital).
An ordinary hospital for civilians did not exist until 17 5 7 , whereas the first per
manent hospital for military personnel was organized already in 16 18 . Since then there
have been hospitals for the army and the navy until the nineteenseventies, when
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