9A St. Thomas Street
Southwark
LONDON
SE1 9RY
0207 378 8383
www.thegarret.org.uk

The Old Operating Theatre is located in the roof space of an old English Baroque Church in St Thomas Street just south of Tower Bridge. The wards of the South Wing of St. Thomas's Hospital were built around St. Thomas's Church.

In 1815 the Apothecary's Act, which required apprentice apothecaries to attend at public hospitals, meant that hordes of students poured in to "watch" operations. Placing the Theatre in the Herb Garret of the Church gave a separate entrance for students, and afforded a measure of sound proofing - very necessary to deaden the screams! It was also approximately at the same level as the women's surgical ward which aided the transport of patients to the theatre. The Theatre was purpose built to maximise the light from above, with a large skylight. Although not heated or ventilated, it provided an ideal, albeit small, area for demonstrating surgical "skills".

It is self-evident why the room became known as a "theatre" - with the drama happening before the spectators. The name "operating theatre" continues to be used to this day, of course, in hospitals.
Until 1847, surgeons had no recourse to anaesthetics and they depended on their swift techniques (surgeons could perform an amputation of a leg in a minute or less), the mental preparation of the patient, and as much alcohol as they could persuade the poor patient to drink (or - later - opiates like opium or laudanum) to dull the patient's senses. After 1847 ether or chloroform started to be used.

The Old Operating Theatre was closed down before antiseptic surgery was invented. The majority of cases were for amputations or superficial complaints, as  - without antiseptics - it was far too dangerous to carry out internal operations and expect the patient to live after the operation...
Mind you, a lot of patients still died "post operation" as it was not considered necessary to wash off the blood and gore left on the operating table between each session, and antiseptic techniques had not yet been established, so a good breeding ground for all the usual bugs was present and patients died of septicaemia. This is a fascinating place and worth a visit while you are in this part of London!

Nearest Tube station: London Bridge.