'Helpless', music cover

Music cover with medical theme (19th century): Helpless.

This print is a music sheet cover advertising the song ‘Helpless’. The song was written especially to raise money for the British Home for Incurables. This institution was created in 1861 for those with incurable diseases such as tuberculosis.

Based in Streatham, London, the institution is now called The British Home and provides nursing care for people with long term medical conditions. The then Princess of Wales, Alexandra (1844-1925), who later became Queen Alexandra, was the patron of the institution at this time. The price of the sheet music was two shillings.