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8
the admission of patients into their hospitals to the vacancies caused by
discharges and deaths.
The task of coping with this autumnal increase of fever was rendered much
more difficult, by the number of beds at the Managers' disposal in 1892
being decreased during 1893 to the extent of 1,000, firstly by the demolition
of certain wooden huts at the Eastern and North-Western Hospitals;
secondly, by the reduction, under medical advice, of beds at the Eastern,
North-Eastern, and Western Hospitals; and thirdly, by the impossibility
of making use (as in the previous year) of the Upper Gore Farm
Hospital (for convalescent scarlet fever cases) in consequence of its being
required for smallpox.
This reduction was to some extent met, later on in the year, by the erection
of a temporary hospital at Tooting Graveney.
It has been computed, that when the number of scarlet fever cases was at its
maximum, at least 6,000 beds should have been at the disposal of the
Managers, or more than double the numbers they actually had at their
command.
The introduction of compulsory notification, and the growing popularity of the
Board's hospitals, have increased the demands for admission to such an
extent, that whereas in 1890 the Managers admitted 42 per cent of the
total number of scarlet fever cases notified in London, in 1892 the percentage
had risen to 48, and in the first four months of 1893, to 54 per
cent.
It is, however, satisfactory to hear that at no very distant day, there will
exist accommodation for about 5,500 beds, the erection of 3 new hospitals
for acute cases, and the establishment of one or more convalescent
hospitals being now under consideration.
The Board contemplate erecting permanent hospitals at Tooting Graveney,
Hither Green, and Kidbrooke (Shooter's Hill Road).
The absence of sufficient accommodation in the Board's hospitals for diphtheria
patients has been felt more or less during the whole year. Although the
great majority of cases for which application for admission was made to
the Board were received, delays, of from one to six days occurred in many
cases, and oftentime attended with very disastrous results.
Considering the yearly increasing number of cases of diphtheria notified
in the Metropolis, there can be no doubt that ample provision should be made
to meet the increasing demand for accommodation in the hospitals, of the
Board.
ACCOMMODATION FOE FEYEE AND DIPHTHERIA PATIENTS IN 1893.
Eastern Hospital 356 Beds.
North Eastern Hospital 400 „
North Western Hospital 384 ,,
Western Hospital Acute Cases366 „
South Western Hospital 400 ,,
South Eastern Hospital 462 „
Fountain Hospital (Tooting Graveney) 406 ,,
2,774
Northern Hospital (for convalescent cases) 680
Total 3,454