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4°
The action of the Borough Council.—In the eleventh monthly report (November 6th, 1902), I
made a definite suggestion that some of the disused small-pox hospitals should be utilized as SanatoriaThe
small-pox epidemic was at an end, and for much of the hospital accommodation so lavishly
provided, there was no longer (and in fact never had been) any need. The Council referred my
report to the Public Health Committee, and on December 4th it was sent, with letters commendatory,
to the Local Government Board and the Metropolitan Asylums Board. It was also
sent to the Public Health and Poor Law Authorities, many of which endorsed the Council's views
in communications addressed to the Local Government Board and the Managers, as did the
National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other forms of Tuberculosis.* But
nothing came of the effort.
Action of the Society of Medical Officers of Health.—The subject of Prevention of Tuberculosis
subsequently engaged the attention of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health, the
several branches of which were invited to express their views on certain points, and especially on
the question "Whether it was desirable to utilize existing Isolation Hospital accommodation, where
practicable, for the isolation of phthisis ?"
This question was fully considered by the Metropolitan Branch of the Society on the 23rd
October, 1903, and a resolution was adopted as follows:—
"The Metropolitan Branch of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health,
noting the intention of the Metropolitan Asylums Board to give almost immediate consideration
to the question whether they should undertake the treatment of persons suffering from
consumption, desire to express their opinion that, by reason of practical experience in regard
to provision of hospitals, and the treatment of the infectious sick, the Board are eminently
qualified for the discharge of this duty, the effective performance of which, by any competent
authority, could not fail to be attended with great advantages in the interests of public
health."
The Branch, moreover, having considered my proposal to utilise Gore Farm Hospitals for
this purpose, further resolved:—
"That the above resolution be transmitted to the Board with an expression of the hope
of the Branch that—should the Managers decide to undertake the treatment of consumptive
patients—they may be pleased to take into consideration the question, whether the Gore
Farm Hospitals, which have ceased to be reckoned as small-pox hospitals, would be suitable
for the purpose, seeing that the said hospitals could be brought into use at an early date, and
that the utilisation of them would save an otherwise necessarily large expenditure by the
provision of hospitals specially erected for the purpose."
Both of these resolutions having been unanimously adopted, I thought it well to communicate
them to the Medical Officers of Health who were unable to be present at the meeting, all but two
of whom signified agreement therewith.
A communication embodying the resolutions, addressed to the Asylums Board by the Hon.
Secretary of the Branch, was referred to the General Purposes Committee, at whose meeting in the
following month (November), consideration of the reference of July, 1902 was resumed, with the
result above set out.
The King's Sanatorium.—Public interest in the whole question was stimulated in connexion
with the laying of the foundation stone, by the King, of a Sanatorium which his Majesty was
graciously pleased to honour by calling it after his own name. This Sanatorium is intended for
the reception of 112 sufferers from phthisis, all but twelve "belonging to a class above the very
poor—teachers, governesses, and members of other ill-paid professions, clerks, shop-assistants,
and the like, for whom no provision in sickness of this kind exists"—at present. The
site, 151 acres in extent, on the southern slope of Easebourne Hill, in the Midhurst district
of the county of Sussex, in the midst of beautiful scenery, would appear to lack nothing
necessary to the realisation of the purpose—whether regard be had to altitude (500 feet), shelter,
soil, vegetation, etc. It was a happy inspiration to make provision for the reception of a small
number of the wealthier classes, for admission to such an institution is sure to be an object of desire
to well-to-do sufferers, whose ample contributions will constitute a welcome addition to the interest
of the endowment fund, which, together with the cost of the site and buildings, is the gift of one
gentleman, Sir Ernest Cassel.
* The letters addressed by the Council to the Local Government Board, the Asylums Board, and the National Association
were set out in my annual report for 1902 (pages 51-53), as also the lette which the Association addressed to the two Boards.