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48
Diarrhoea was, however, so much less prevalent last
summer than usual, that it was only found necessary
to reserve one ward for it during the late summer
months. In all, 34 babies were admitted with diarrhoea,
of whom five died. The other cases admitted were
mainly cases of broncho-pneumonia, or infants suffering
from the direct result of improper feeding, and in
the latter connection the hospital is a valuable adjunct
to the infant clinic. The work during the last two
months of the year was interfered with by the occurrence
of some cases of nasal diphtheria, which, though
showing few or no clinical symptoms, were removed
to the Isolation Hospital and new cases were not
admitted until it was ascertained by repeated bacteriological
examinations that no other children were
infected.
It is to be regretted that the hospital is not more
used by the medical practitioners of the borough,
although their attention has been called several times
to the facilities provided, and that they can, if they
desire, undertake the treatment of their own patients
while they are in the hospital.
Dr. Arthur Saunders, Honorary Physician to the
West London Hospital, has been good enough to act
as Honorary Consulting Physician, and has rendered
most valuable assistance in seeing patients with the
Medical Officer and in procuring the admission to
the West London Hospital of children who needed
operations.
8. Day Nursery.—The Council give a grant of £300
a year to the Fulham Day Nursery at Eridge House,
and the Assistant Medical Officer acts as Medical
Officer. Every child on admission undergoes a complete
physical examination, and this is repeated every
three months. Any ailment is at once brought under
the notice of the Medical Officer and several children
have undergone minor operations, such as the removal
of adenoids and circumcision. The nursery has the
advantage of a large garden, in which children are kept
as much as possible, and the progress they make is