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or making X-ray photographs for orthopaedic work, and for
minor operations, such as taking out of tonsils, etc. The
number of beds could be reduced to fifty, and placed in the
two large wards on the first and second floors. Twenty-five
beds could be reserved for surgical cases, and twenty-five for
medical cases. The administrative block which includes
the dispensary and rooms for the staff is at present situated
in several old houses which abut on Jamaica Road, and
when the hospital is being adapted these would have to be
re-built or re-arranged internally, but this could be easily
done so as to give the hospital a suitable front elevation and
an ornamental tablet could be placed, showing that the
hospital was acquired and designed as a War Memorial,
and I propose further that is should be called the Princess
Club Hospital for Children. I have asked the Surveyor to
have the buildings measured up, and I hope to be able to
bring figures before the Committee which will show that it
will be less costly to acquire this hospital than to build a
completely new one.
1 have heard several objections made against this, the
main ones being, first, expense; second, that the buildings
are old and unsuitable; and third, that the position is unsuitable.
As regards expense, I believe that if this project
was adopted it would appeal to practically every man and
woman in the Borough, and many outside it, and I do not
think there would be very much difficulty raising a sufficient
amount. It is quite possible also that the British and
American Red Cross Societies and the Carnegie Trust might
be induced to give contributions, as well as the Borough
Council. As regards the second point, a considerable saving
would be effected by using the modern built wards
already in existence, and it would only be necessary to
rebuild three of the houses in front as an administrative
block. Coming to the third point, I do not know of a more
suitable site in the Borough. It is central, on the main
tram lines, and easily get-at-able by everyone in the
Borough. Some persons suggest that it would be much
better placed in a more open position, such as Southwark
Park, but in the first place there are legal difficulties
laigainst getting any part of Southwark Park, as all these