THE Royal Berkshire Hospital's (RBH) first foundation stone was laid on May 13 1837 and subsequently King William IV's Consort-Queen Adelaide-became patron of the 'institution'.

Additional wings were constructed in the 1860's along with a chapel in the rear of the main block.

The RBH began treating patients in 1839 with the first entry in the 30th May's hand-written admission ledger naming this 'in-patient' as fifteen-year-old George Earley who had broken his arm whilst working on the Great Western Railway.

The availability of treatments depended on certain entry criteria and of course it was not 'free at the point of entry' like most of the NHS today.

Firstly there were the wealthier patients who had doctors visit them at home and who frequently made vital donations to the hospital to help pay for the running costs.

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Secondly via the dreaded 'workhouse' system the destitute (people who couldn't afford it) could get a form of medical attention and finally, the 'deserving poor'.

Amongst the Grade 2 listed buildings in the North Block is in the old laundry of 1881-which became a nurses changing area and bed store.

Some 86 years ago the hospital admitted possibly its most famous patients who was the victim of a flying accident at nearby Woodley Aerodrome.

He was destined to become one of Great Britain's most famous WW2 RAF fighter aces and when Douglas Bader was rushed from the wreckage of his Hawker plane to the RBH-he was very lucky to come under the care of one of the hospital's legendary surgeons-one Leonard Joyce (1882-1939).

To save his life he became a double amputee but Squadron Leader Douglas Bader always kept in touch with Joyce and his family and frequently visited their Reading home.

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The Children's Ward-originally opened by benefactor Lady Wantage in 1912-has walls tiled with beautiful illustrated panels of nursery rhymes and fairy tiles, many of which would still be familiar today, being placed at intervals around the room.

The firm W.B Simpson from St Martins Lane, London produced each panel at a cost of £30 each.

One or two panels cannot be seen by patients (the ward is not open to the public for viewing) as there is a partition in the north corner-but luckily Lionel Williams (former RBH Medical Photographer) quickly got a photo of 'Little Boy Blue' and it is depicted within the pages of a booklet available in the RBH museum.

The extraordinary changes in medicine showcased within the walls of the museum include the history of anaesthesia, surgery, blood transfusion, dentistry and wartime medicines.

By far the largest item on display is the 'Iron Lung' machine which was used during the many Polio epidemics of the 1940's and 50's and the smallest item is an original phial of Penicillin dating from 1944, writes Chris Forsey.

The fear of hospitals or Nosocomephobia was perhaps understandable in centuries past-as any visitor to the museum will testify after glancing at some of the archaic looking medical instruments used to treat patients.

Some other medical related phobias include: Pharmacophobia (medicine), Hemophobia (blood), Latrophobia (doctors) and Tryanophobia (needles).

The oldest item in the museums collection is a humble 'pestle & mortar' dating to 1750-but one of the scariest looking pieces is a 'Tonsillectomy guillotine'-still being used until the 1980's.

Its not very often that an exhibit stares back at you but the collection of glass eyes that was donated by their maker Mary Surman is truly an eye-opener.

So if you are looking for something to do on a wet Sunday afternoon try visiting the museum-it is open to the public from 2pm to 4.30pm on the first and third Sunday of each month-entrance is free but donations are always gratefully received.