St Mary's Hospital, London

St Mary's Hospital was founded in 1851 as a voluntary hospital, largely through the efforts of Samuel Smiles and other philanthropists, to serve the poor of Paddington.¹ It was one of the first hospitals to be built in London after the 1848 Public Health Act, reflecting a growing concern for sanitary conditions and medical care for the working class.

The hospital's early years were marked by a strong emphasis on nursing education, with a nursing school established in 1860, following the Nightingale model.² The hospital expanded rapidly, adding new wings and departments throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 1928, Alexander Fleming, a bacteriologist at St Mary's, discovered penicillin when he noticed that a mold (Penicillium notatum) had contaminated a Petri dish and killed surrounding bacteria.³ This discovery revolutionized medicine, leading to the development of antibiotics that have saved countless lives.

Fleming's laboratory has been preserved as a museum, the Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, which is open to the public. The discovery was not immediately translated into a usable drug; it took the work of Howard Florey and Ernst Chain at Oxford to develop penicillin for clinical use, for which they shared the Nobel Prize with Fleming in 1945.

Today, St Mary's is a major acute hospital providing a wide range of services, including a 24/7 major trauma centre, a regional neonatal unit, and specialist services in cardiology, neurology, and renal medicine. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which also includes Charing Cross, Hammersmith, and Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea hospitals.

The hospital is closely affiliated with Imperial College London, with many consultants holding academic posts and conducting research on site. It is a leading centre for clinical trials and translational research, particularly in areas like infectious diseases and metabolic medicine.

Beyond penicillin, St Mary's has several lesser-known claims to fame. In 1936, the first successful treatment of a patient with a brain tumor using radiation therapy was performed there.⁴ The hospital also housed the first NHS computer in 1960, used for patient records.

St Mary's was the site of the first successful kidney transplant in the UK in 1960, performed by a team led by Michael Woodruff.⁵ The hospital's chapel, built in 1861, contains a stained-glass window depicting the Good Samaritan, a gift from the founder's family.

During World War II, the hospital treated casualties from the Blitz and was the site of the first use of penicillin in the UK in 1941, when a patient with a severe infection was treated with the drug, though the supply was limited and the patient later died.

Voluntary hospital

A hospital funded by charitable donations and subscriptions, common in the UK before the NHS.

Nightingale model

A system of nursing education and practice developed by Florence Nightingale, emphasizing hygiene and training.

Major trauma centre

A specialist unit that provides comprehensive care for severely injured patients.

Translational research

Research that aims to apply basic scientific findings to clinical practice.