Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital,Nurses Training/Long Service badge

A large and impressive Nurses badge for the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.This was founded in 1849 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Hervey_Foster_Quin who studied under the founder of Homoeopathy Dr Samuel Hahnemann.
It always struggled to establish itself against conventional medical treatments but was well supported by wealthy contributors enabling it to expand on the Great Ormond Street site.It was given the title Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital in 1948 and joined the NHS later that same year.
This later pattern badge features an Ouroboros,a snake eating it's own tail symbolising renewal.Within this is a shield quartered diagonally with RLHH at the top.At the centre is an open book with the dates 1000 and 1849.In each quarter are a Rose,Shamrock,Caduceus and Thistle.Above the shield on a scroll are the words Similia,Similibus,Curentur-Let Like be Healed By Like,the tenet of Homoeopathy.I understand that this may have been a long service badge although it may relate to training,see; http://sueyounghistories.com/archives/2008/10/11/the-royal-london-homeopathic-hospital/
The rear is engraved for Doris May Pearce Nov.1943-Nov 1945 Jan 1952-Jan 1954.The GNC Rolls and registers show her to have entered as an Assistant Nurse under rule10(1) and 43 in September 1949.She later appears on the register as a SRN on the 26.7.54 having trained at the RLHH.Height 44mm
A rare item which is seldom seen,the price reflects scarcity and my purchase price.

Code: 51841