Hospitals at War

A fascinating new exhibition exploring the life of Tayside's hospitals and medical services during the Second World War is currently running at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School.

Funded by a £9000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund's Home Front Recall programme, the Hospitals at War exhibition features a wide range of photographs, official documents and rare personal memorabilia, much of which has never before been displayed in public.

Some of the items are part of the collections of the Tayside Medical History Museum (jointly run by the University of Dundee Museum Services and NHS Tayside), while many others have been lent by a variety of individuals and organisations. They include WW2 uniforms, medical equipment and a photograph of an operation being carried out in the bridal suite at Gleneagles Hotel.

"The hotel was requisitioned as an emergency hospital during the war," explained Mr Matthew Jarron, Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee. "Among the patients treated there were film stars David Niven and Stewart Granger.

"We also have an early phial of penicillin which was like gold dust during the war so it is amazing that someone held on to it."

The exhibition, which will run until March 3 next year, is being staged in the main concourse area of Ninewells Hospital.