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of the work of the largest organisation of its kind that ever existed.
To convey some conception of the magnitude of the work directed by
the Board, it may be pointed out that the managers possess hospital
accommodation to the extent of upwards of 6,000 beds, open to any
person who may suffer from certain notifiable diseases; asylums
which accommodate 6,000 imbeciles; a training ship for 600 boys;
schools for children suffering from ringworm; homes for mentally
defective children (from which they can attend special schools); and
seaside homes for children. Schools are in course of preparation for
children suffering from ophthalmia, and also homes for children
remanded from the police courts. The Board maintains an ambulance
service, which at any time of the day or night can place a properly
equipped carriage and trained nurse at the door of any of the 600,000
inhabited houses which lie within the Metropolitan area, and a river
service for the conveyance of Small-pox patients from the Board's
special wharves to the hospital ships. The Board also receives, under
special agreement, patients from the Urban District of Tottenham; and
the hospitals are open, when necessity arises, to any of the children
of the schools outside the Metropolis belonging to the London School
Board or to the various Metropolitan Poor Law authorities. The
maintenance of so many hospitals and the care of so large a number
of patients involve the service of 3,000 officers and servants of all
grades. The population daily resident in the Board's institutions
averaged 15,000 persons during the year 1900, and the expenditure
on articles of food, clothing, and household necessaries approached
half a million of money.
NOTES UPON SANITABY WORK PERFORMED
DURING THE YEAR.
It will be seen from the accompanying Report of the Sanitary
Inspectors that a large amount of sanitary work has been performed
during the year. 2370 premises were inspected for conditions
injurious or dangerous to health, and insanitary conditions varying
in their nature from slight to very grave, were discovered in a large
number of instances. 705 Intimation Notices, followed in 45 cases
by Statutory Notices, were complied with.