Augustus Schoepf Merei, 1804-1858.

Augustus Merei, MD, founded the Clinical Hospital for Diseases of Children in Manchester, which later became the Northern Hospital for Women and Children. He was born in Hungary in April 1804, and was educated at the University of Pavia. Merei continued his medical studies at Heidelburg, Vienna and Pesth (now Budapest), and gained the LRCP. Merei commenced practice in Pesth and quickly rose to distinction. In 1835, Merei founded the Pesth Children's Hospital, the fourth children's hospital in the world. By 1839 he was also professor of history of medicine and editor of the only Hungarian medical journal. Merei had gained a reputation across the continent as an important paediatrician and introduced the principles of scientific enquiry to the care of children. During the Hungrarian war of independence, Merei was involved with the revolutionary party. He was present at the siege of Temesvár, after which he escaped to Turkey and then on to England. Merei came to Manchester and in 1850 established a local clinical school for the study of the diseases of young children. The aims of the school were investigation and instruction rather than clinical relief, but in 1856, with the influence of Salis Schwabe, the Clinical Hospital for Diseases of Children was opened. Merei also lectured on diseases of children at Chatham Street Medical School, Manchester. Merei died unexpectedly of hepatic cancer on 12 March 1858, aged 53.

See also MMC/1/Merei  and MMC/9/16  (file on the Northern Hospital).