Gwendolyn Downie Memorial Hospital

The Gwendolyn Downie Memorial Hospital is a fictional hospital in the English countryside. It is employed specifically in the treatment of tuberculosis patients. It was originally a private hospital but was made public following the creation of Britain’s National Health Service. The characters often refer to the hospital simply as the Gwendo. The characters are admitted to the hospital after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, and they find the atmosphere stultifying. The hospital’s treatments are generally ineffective, but the eventual arrival of streptomycin makes the tuberculosis much more easily treatable.

Kent

Kent is a county in South East England. It is a relatively rural county, especially in comparison to the starkly urban city of London. The tuberculosis hospital to which Lenny and Miriam are admitted is located in Kent. Lenny and Miriam dislike the rural area. However, one day, Lenny, Miriam, and Arthur sneak...