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principal hospitals, as shown in the table at page 79, are only seventeen in number; thirteen
of them being within the central section of the Metropolis—extending from the West London
Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital in the west, to the London Hospital and Poplar Hospital in
the east; and from University College Hospital and Royal Free Hospital in the north, to St.
Thomas's Hospital and Guy's Hospital in the south. A map is wanted to show to what degree
the hospitals provide for the needs of the districts within reasonable distance of them, and how
extensive is the remaining area of London practically almost devoid of the necessary accommodation.
Poor Law Sick Asylums and Infirmaries.—Within the last generation there has sprung up
a new and admirable set of institutions—hospitals in everything but the name—the Poor Law
Infirmaries and the Sick Asylums, which might be made available for the relief of the victims of
dangerous street accidents. The position of these institutions—of which Kensington Infirmary,
and St. Marylebone Infirmary, at Notting Hill, may be taken as types—is indicated in the table at
page 79 ; and there can be no question as to their potential usefulness as adjuncts to the
general hospitals. Even now they render occasional service; St. Marylebone Infirmary, for instance.
admitting sufferers from severe accidents occurring in its vicinity in the northern portion
of the Royal Borough. Most of the asylums and infirmaries, presumably, possess vehicles for conveyance
of the sick, and few are without means for housing an ambulance—a remark which applies
to the workhouses also, when these are not immediately connected to the infirmaries.
Poor Law Ambulances.—The Poor Law Infirmaries being well spread over London,
it has been suggested that, if it were in the power of the Asylums Board to
organize the supply of ambulance carriages and litters, a complete service for accidents
and non-infectious cases could be arranged in an inexpensive manner. The suggestion
is certainly deserving of consideration; but nothing can be done—whether by the County
Council, the Asylums Board, or the Local Authorities—without legislation, which would naturally
be preceded by some authoritative inquiry on the entire question of a METROPOLITAN AMBULANCE
SERVICE. But, seeing the brevity and simplicity of the legislation which brought the ambulance
service of the Asylums Board into existence, it would seem there should be no insuperable
difficulty in carrying a Bill to complete the ambulance service, as proposed, and so remove what
has been described as " the reproach of London's municipal administration."
The foregoing account of the ambulance service is compiled from several reports presented to
the Council in 1905—notably from the thirteenth report, which was referred to the Public Health
Committee, whose recommendations thereon, unanimously adopted by the Council, were as follows:
(a) That a copy of the report of the Medical Officer of Health on " Metropolitan Ambulance
Service " be sent to the members of Parliament for the borough, and that they
be asked to call the attention of the House of Commons to the need of a Metropolitan
Ambulance Service for sick and injured persons, and to raise the question
as to the authority to which the provision of such a service should be entrusted.
(6) That a petition be presented to each House of Parliament, calling attention to the
public need of a Metropolitan Ambulance Service, and emphasizing the desirability
of such service being provided and maintained by a single authority.
(c) That a copy of the report be forwarded to each of the members of the Committee on
the London County Council (General Powers) Bill, and to other members of Parliament
likely to be interested in the question.
(d) That a copy of the report be also forwarded to the Metropolitan Borough Councils, and
that they be invited to take action in the matter.