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land ambulance service during 1898: the various vehicles
made 23,120 journeys, and ran 214,677 miles. The steamboats
of the river ambulance service had little employment,
owing to the freedom of the metropolis from small-pox.
Hospital Accommodation.— The normal accommodation
at the fever hospitals open at the end of 1898, comprised
4,647 beds; further accommodation to the number of 1,360
beds was in course of being provided: total 6,013 beds. This
accommodation is capable of further increase in times of pressure
by the use of extra beds in the wards of several of the
hospitals. In addition, there is the Gore Farm Hospital, which
can furnish 750 beds for convalescent fever cases; but only so
long as it is not required for its proper function of a smallpox
convalescent hospital.
For small-pox the Managers possess 300 beds at the
hospital ships, and are about to erect further buildings,
capable of containing 400 beds, on the Joyce Green
estate, adjoining the ships. Gore Farm Hospital, if at any
time the Managers should be compelled to reclaim it for its
original purpose, can, for small-pox convalescents, furnish about
1,192 beds, making nearly 1,900 beds, all told.
Hospital Statistics.— The year began with 4,668 patients
in the hospitals. By May 28th the number had fallen to the
minimum, 3,120; the maximum, 4,745, was attained November
21st. At the close of the year the number had declined to 4,377.
At the maximum period the scarlet fever cases were 3,256;
diphtheria, 1,231; typhus, 3; enteric, 254. The admissions
were; of scarlet fever cases, 12,125; diphtheria, 6,566;
enteric, 869; typhus, 9: total, 19,569; of "other diseases,"
1,488: grand total, 21,057; or fewer by 1,812 than in 1897, the
lesser number of scarlet fever cases accounting for the whole