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52
The present Isolation Hospital was built in 1898, and
added to in 1902. The original Hospital consisted of three
blocks, containing respectively 10, 4, and 6 beds, together
with an administrative block, laundry, ambulance shed,
stable and coach-house, with a small mortuary.
In 1902 another block of 26 beds was added, the administrative
block enlarged, another mortuary provided, and
a discharge block built.
In 1905 a house was built just outside the Hospital,
which provides accommodation for 8 convalescent Scarlet
Fever patients. That is, the patients, or the number of
them that we can accommodate, are disinfected through the
discharge block, have fresh disinfected clothes provided, and
then they are transferred to this house for a fortnight or so
before going home. It thus makes a half-way house between
the Hospital and the home. The hope was to limit the
number of return cases, as several patients caught cold on
leaving the discharge block straight for home, developed a
discharge from nose or ears, and infected other children.
During the whole year, owing to the prevalence of
Scarlet Fever, the accommodation of the Hospital has been
strained to the utmost, and the greatest difficulty has been
experienced in receiving the cases when desired. At one time
I was of opinion that this was merely a temporary strain, but
it has gone on now for so long that I trust the Council will
take the question of enlarging into consideration at an early
date. When the constant increase of population is taken
into consideration, also the steady increase of building of
smaller property, in which it is practically impossible to
isolate efficiently, the necessity of other provision than now
exists will be recognised by the Council.