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128
The President of the Local Government Board received
the Deputation on the 21st July. It may reasonably be hoped
that the views expressed by such a representative body will
not have been made in vain. The matter for regret is that
the needs of the Metropolis were not more accurately gauged
years ago, so that provision of permanent buildings might
have been made after proper deliberation. The Managers are
now fully alive to the necessity for a large extension of their
hospital system, and I am persuaded that it will not be their
fault should London be not provided with adequate and
permanent accommodation for the infectious sick within a
reasonable time.
The Fountain (Temporary) Hospital.—The Asylums
Board, whilst endeavouring to make adequate hospital provision
of a permanent sort for Fever, &c., were not unmindful
of the necessity for securing so-called " temporary " accommodation
for the immediate needs of the metropolis. For
this purpose they resolved to utilise some ten acres of their
new estate at Tooting Graveney, as a site for a temporary
hospital, and to give their architect, Mr. Thomas Aldwincle,
carte blanche to build with the utmost expedition a hospital
for about 400 patients. The commission was executed with
surprising rapidity. Clear possession of the land was obtained
on the evening of August 22nd, the works were " set out " on
the 23rd and commenced on the following day. The buildings
were formally inspected by the Managers on the 21st
October, and the opening took place on the 31st, ten
weeks after the date of commencement. Five firms of contractors
were employed on different portions of the buildings ;
the daily average number of workers was 1,500, the
highest number on any one day being 1,678. An interesting
descriptive report of the hospital, with a plan of the
several buildings, was prepared by the architect, for
the information of the Managers. The final paragraph
of this report referred to the extreme costliness of