The Infirmary has a long history, its original building having been erected in 1751, with its first new wing built in 1803. This image shows the building in 1855, just after the addition of another new wing (on the left), named the Dobson Wing after its architect.

John Fife was appointed surgeon in 1837 and Charles John Gibb, later to be a director of each of the two companies which were to own the Pilgrim Street Turkish Baths, was appointed house surgeon in 1849.