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Hurlingham Lodge Hostel
Hurlingham Lodge is a hostel for ambulant, homeless, infective, tuberculous
men, one of three similar establishments in the Inner London Area,
the others being in the London Boroughs of Islington and Lambeth.
In common with the other two hostels, Hurlingham Lodge provides accommodation
for those who do not require nursing. The intention is to give the
residents a sense of security in having a home with regular good meals,
laundry and sympathetic companionship. The community derives advantages
from segregating, as far as practicable, these infective tuberculous persons
from the dangers of close and frequent contact with susceptible individuals.
Residents who are fit to work are encouraged to find employment through
the Disablement Resettlement Officer of the Local Office: of the Department
of Employment & Productivity. Residents are also encouraged to be on the
list of a local general practitioner, who visits the hostel regularly and
is available in the ordinary way. He is also expected to maintain health
surveillance of the staff.
Recommendations for admission are received from Chest Physicians of
Chest Clinics in the London Boroughs, and from hospitals in and outside
London. The Council of the Borough in which the patient was formerly resident
in asked to accept financial responsibility, and residents are asked
to contribute towards their maintenance according to their means. Admissions
are arranged as and when vacancies occur.
The medical condition of residents is reviewed periodically to establish
the need for continued residence.
There is accommodation for 28 residents at the Hostel. At the end of
1969, there were 5 men awaiting admission; at the end of 1968 two were
awaiting admission.
WEST LONDON HOSPITAL - MARTHA AND LUKE CLINIC REPORT
The year 1968 showed a big increase in the number of new cases seen
in the Martha & Luke Clinicss. Figures rose from 7,624 in 1967 to 9,117
in 1968 while there was a further rise to 11,568 in 1969. Attendances
rose from just over 31,000 in 1967 to over 39,000 in 1968 and to 45,836
in 1969. As the staff of the clinics has not proportionally increased,
nor has the accommodation, a heavy strain has been brought upon all concerned,
though every effort has been made, not always with success, to cut
down the waiting times of patients before they are seen. Such long waiting
periods are most undesirable as there is nothing more calculated to increase
the defaulter rate. Of the total, 4,330 cases came from Hammersmith and
Fulham. The only Borough which rivalled this was Kensington & Cheleea with
3,475.
The incidence of early syphilis fell during the course of the year from
105 in 1968 to 77 in 1969 and of other forms, both latent and late, from
107 to 90. Not much comfort can be derived from this however, as it is
held that there is a great deal of concealed early latent syphilis in young
homosexuals in the area. Further, nearly half of the cases of early syphilis
attended during the last quarter (Autumn) of the year and the first two
months of 1970 have shown a very sharp rise in both sexes. Nevertheless,
the rate of syphilis does remain remarkably low in this country as compared
with most others.
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