Bartholomew Mosse

Bartholomew Mosse (1712 – 16 February 1759) was an Irish surgeon and impresario responsible for founding the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.

It is believed that it was during this time that he decided to focus on midwifery, to which end he observed maternity care in Paris, among other cities.

By 1743, he had determined to raise money for a purpose-built maternity hospital, which he achieved through subscriptions, as well as the patronage of many of Dublin's prominent citizens.

[1] Demand soon outstripped the capacity of the hospital, and Mosse staged theatrical productions to raise money for expansion.

[1] Mosse spent a considerable amount of his personal fortune on this venture, falling into debt, and eventually being imprisoned for indebtedness, although he escaped through a window and went into hiding in Wales.