View report page

28
Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
Report upon the Deficiency of Fever Accommodation
for Fever cases in the Asylums Board Hospitals.
It is my duty to report the failure, for the fourth consecutive year, of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board to admit into their hospitals certain of your parishioners
suffering from scarlet fever and diphtheria. This deadlock has been brought about
by the want of beds, and that again has been ascribed to the increase and prevalence
of dangerous infectious diseases in London for some time past.
It will be within the memory of your Vestry, that in July last, the Asylums
Board Managers addressed their usual circular-letter to the Metropolitan Sanitary
Authorities. In this letter it was suggested that in the selection of cases for
removal to hospital, preference should be given to poor patients " who are obviously
most in need of hospital treatment." This suggestion is in keeping with the object
for which the hospitals were primarily built, namely, for the reception of the poor
and needy. Care has been taken by your Medical Officer to make out and submit to
the Central Authority a daily list of the more urgent infectious cases requiring
hospital isolation.
Notwithstanding this precaution, there is reason to suspect that cases which
might have been fairly isolated at home have gained entry into the Asylums
Hospitals, to the exclusion of members of families living in one or two rooms, often
situated in large block buildings.
The greatest number of cases refused admission on a single day during the two
weeks under report, was seven, five of whom suffered from scarlet fever, and two
from diphtheria. Of this number living with parents, brothers, and sisters, three
dwelt in one room, two in two rooms, and two in three rooms. To-day there are
four scarlet fever patients dwelling in large " models," all of whom it is impossible to
isolate efficiently, save in a fever hospital. These cases have all been refused
admission on more than one occasion.
The remedies I would suggest towards ameliorating the present dangerous state
of affairs is:—
First, a more careful selection of cases by the Asylums Board.
Secondly, the speedy erection on the sites already acquired, of increased
accommodation to meet the requirements of the Sanitary Authorities.
This Special Report gave rise to the following Correspondence:—
Local Government Board,
Whitehall, S.W.,
11th November, 1895.
Sir,
I am directed by the Local Government Board to advert to your letter of
the 29th ultimo, transmitting a copy of the report presented by you to the Vestry of
St. George the Martyr, Southwark, upon the deficiency of accommodation for fever
cases in the Metropolitan Asylums District Hospitals.
The Board direct me to state that it will be convenient if you will furnish them
with specific evidence, in support of the statementin thereport, that " there is reason to
suspect that cases, which might have been fairly isolated at home, have gained entry
into the Asylums Hospitals, to the exclusion of members of families living in one or
two rooms, often situated in large block buildings."
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
S. B. PROVIS,
Assistant Secretary,
F. J. Waldo, Esq., M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health,
1, Plowden Buildings, Temple, E.C.