Endocrine Abstracts

In 1739 Thomas Coram was granted a Royal Charter to establish the Foundling hospital for the care of abandoned babies. The hospital was established in Bloomsbury and had the patronage of leading cultural figures of the day, including William Hogarth and Handel. Babies were admitted by ballot (white ball in, red ball maybe and black ball rejected), given a new name and fostered until the age of 5. Upon admittance to the hospital they severed all contact with their foster parents. They were given a uniform and subjected to a rigorous regime. Their education was basic. Girls were prepared mainly for domestic service and the boys for the military. Music, religion and exercise were important. The children had access to first class medical expertise.

The regime adopted by the Foundling hospital raises questions about its effects on the emotional stability of the Foundlings and their preparation for adult life but it also warrants a comparison with our failures in contemporary care homes.