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that the tenancy should be one at will, free of rent, but subject to a week's notice in case
of necessity; but I need hardly say that Lord Portman will not exercise this right
arbitrarily.
On hearing from you that this arrangement is satisfactory to the Vestry, you
can have the keys.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
FREDK. W. HUNT.
Dr. A. W. Blyth,
Medical Officer of Health,
Court House, Marylebone Lane, W.
Your Medical Officer of Health, with the sanction of
the Committee, immediately set to work to put the premises
in a suitable state of repair and to adapt them for use as a
Hospital.
The two houses were made into one, by inserting
doors in the party walls of every floor, baths were fixed,
supplied with hot and cold water, suitable cooking arrangements
were provided, the whole of the rooms cleansed
thoroughly, whitewashed, and various minor alterations
made. A Matron and Nurses were also engaged; bedsteads,
bedding, cooking appliances, were purchased, and a
portion of the Hospital was actuallv ready by the 24th of
June, and on that day 7 patients were received.
The accommodation was at first limited to 18 beds and
32 cots, that is, 50 in all.
The cases, however, rapidly overtook the accommodation,
and on July 3rd your Medical Officer of Health
reported that more accommodation was urgently required,
especially for the convalescent patients.
On the 14th of June, the Hospital was extended by
the occupation of 2 more houses, viz., 59 and 61; these
were made to communicate with each other and with Nos.
55 and 57 by doors made in the party walls, and the
necessary repairs and cleansing rapidly executed; the
drainage was also put in order. This raised the accommodation
to 100 beds. Ultimately, owing to an outbreak of
measles, it became absolutely necessary to still farther
enlarge the premises, and No. 63 was, by permission of Mr.
Hunt, added. In this house, five beds for cases of measles
were provided.