pueperal fever contracted in hospital was a significant killer in the days before antibiotics and especially before the realisation that the doctors etc themselves were the main carriers of the Streptococcus bacteria between women - this knowledge though first published in mid 1840's was not widely accepted until the mid 1860's or later - White Hoe was I think originally set up for isolation for smallpox but even by time it was open vaccination had seen this disease tamed, tho diphtheria and other infectious diseases were treated there - according to reports the building was completed by 1888 as a fever hospital and was run by Douglas Corporation - the early MoH reports give about 5 or so deaths a year there.