He came to London and entered at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he was brought under the influence of Abernethy, and at the same time he served an apprenticeship to Mr. Dale, a surgeon practising at the top of Holborn Hill. He obtained the membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England on 27 April 1827. His inability later in that year to obtain the admission to a hospital of a girl of eighteen years, whom he accidentally found on the steps of St. Andrew's churchyard almost dead of disease and starvation, turned his attention to the question of hospital relief. Relief was then granted only to those who could obtain a governor's letter, or could produce other evidence of being known to subscribers to these institutions. This anomalous condition he sought to rectify by establishing in 1828 a small dispensary in Greville Street, Hatton Garden, to whose benefits the poor were admitted absolutely without formality. This institution at first met with great opposition; but in 1832 its value became widely recognised, owing to the fact that it alone, of all the London hospitals, received cholera patients. In 1843 the hospital was moved into Gray's Inn Road, to a site previously occupied by the light horse volunteers of the city of London, a site which was afterwards purchased by the beneficence of wealthy friends, and upon it was built the Royal Free Hospital, Dr. Marsden becoming its senior surgeon. In 1838 he obtained the degree of M.D. from the university of Erlangen. In 1840 a handsome testimonial was presented to him by the Duke of Cambridge, in the name of a numerous body of subscribers, who recognised the benefits his efforts had conferred upon the sick poor.
In 1851 Marsden opened a small house in Cannon Row, Westminster, for the reception of persons suffering from cancer. Within ten years the institution was moved to Brompton, where it exists in the imposing block of buildings known as the Cancer Hospital (with 120 beds), of which Marsden was also the senior surgeon. Marsden enjoyed a large practice, and throughout his life was a disciple of Abernethy, and followed his methods. Usually expectant in his treatment, he was sometimes so bold as to be heroic. He was a very acute observer. He died of bronchitis on 16 Jan. 1867, and was buried in Norwood cemetery. He was twice married, and had one son — Dr. Alexander Marsden (b. 1832) — by his first wife. After moving from Thavies' Inn he lived for many years at 65 Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Marsden published 'Symptoms and Treatment of Malignant Diarrhoea, better known by the name of Asiatic or Malignant Cholera,' 8vo, London, 1834; 2nd edit. 1848.
A full-length portrait of Marsden by T. H. Illidge [q. v.], painted in 1850, hangs in the board-room of the Royal Free Hospital. A full-length, attributed to H. W. Pickersgill, sen., exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1866, is at present in the board-room of the Cancer Hospital at Brompton.
[The Hospital, 14 May 1887, p. 103; additional information kindly given to the writer by Dr. Alexander Marsden; Lancet, 1867, i. 131; Med. Times and Gaz. 1867, i. 98.]
MARSH. [See also Marisco.]
MARSH, ALPHONSO, the elder (1627–1681), musician, the son of Robert Marsh (died before 1662), one of the musicians in ordinary to Charles I, was born before 28 Jan. 1627. He was said by Wood to be a great songster and lutenist (Manuscript Lives). Marsh alternated with John Harding in singing the words of Pirrhus, a bass part in D'Avenant's 'Siege of Rhodes,' 1666 (Chappell, Popular Music, ii. 478). He was appointed gentleman of the Chapel Royal about 1661, and was present at the coronation of Charles II on 23 April in that year. He died on 9 April 1681. He married at St. Margaret's, Westminster, 8 Feb. 1647-8, Mary Cheston. His will, by which he left a clear third of his arrears of pay to his son Alphonso [q. v.], and the residue to his second wife Rebecca, was proved by the widow on 19 April. Marsh's printed songs are in John Playlord's collections: 1. Eight songs in 'Select Ayres and Dialogues,' bk. ii. 1669, pp. 60-4. 2. Five songs in 'Choice Songs and Ayres for one Voice to the Theorbo-lute,' bk. i. 1673, pp. 5-37 passim. 3. Three songs in 'Choice Ayres ... to sing to Theorbo-lute or Bass-viol,' bk. i. 1676, p. 84, and bk. ii. 1679, p. 34.
[Grove's Dictionary, ii. 221; North's Memoires, p. 98; Old Cheque-book of the Chapel Royal, pp. 17, 21; Chamberlayne's Angliæ Notitia; Cal. of State Papers, Dom. Charles II, 1662 vol. lii., 1663 vol. lxxvi.; Will in Registers P. C. C., book North, fol. 60; Chester's Registers of Westminster Abbey, p. 230.]
MARSH, ALPHONSO, the younger (1648?–1692), musician, the only son of Alphonso Marsh the elder [q. v.] by his first wife, was admitted gentleman 01 the Chapel Royal on 25 April 1676. He was present at the coronations of James II, 1685, and of William and Mary, 1689. He died on 5 April 1692, and was buried in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey. His principal creditor, Edward Bradock, of the Chapel
