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5
(ii.) Report by the Medical Officer.
24th July, 1901.
The Sub-Committee on 24th May last instructed me to report generally on the ambulance
system in London. In accordance with this instruction the following report has been prepared which,
as will be seen, in addition to the system in London deals with those in force in provincial towns and
also in foreign countries —
For convenience this report is divided under the following heads, viz.—
(1.) Arrangements for Ambulance Services in London at the present time.
(2.) Similar arrangements in Provincial Towns.
(3.) Similar arrangements in Foreign Countries.
(4.) As to the Establishment of a Horse-ambulance Service in London.
(1.) The Arrangements for Ambulance Services in London at the present time.
Ambulance provision in the County of London relates to—
(A)—The removal of cases of infectious disease.
(1) To hospitals for this class of malady.
(2) From one house to another.
(B)—Conveyance of non-infections invalids.
(C)—Conveyance of persons who have met with accident or who are picked up in the streets
suffering from epilepsy, apoplexy, alcoholism, etc.
(A) (1)— The removal of cases of infectious diseases to hospitals for this class of malady.—The
removal of the infectious sick to hospital is almost wholly performed by the Metropolitan Asylums
Board. The land ambulances of this Board are stationed on premises situated as follows—
1. Eastern Ambulance Station, Brooksby's-walk, Homerton, N.E.
2. North - Western Ambulance Station, Lawn-road, Fleet-road, Hampstead (near
Hampstead-heath railway station), N.W.
3. Western Ambulance Station, Seagrave-road, Fulham (near West Brompton railway
station), S.W.
4. South-Western Ambulance Station, Landor-road, Stockwell (near Clapham-road
railway station), S.W.
5. South-Eastern Ambulance Station, New Cross-road (near Old Kent-road railway
station), S.E.
6. Brook Ambulance Station, Shooter's-hill, Kent.
At these stations are maintained a number of carriage ambulances aud horses which,
accompanied by a driver and nurse, proceed to all parts of the metropolis for the removal of infectious
persons. Each station is in telephonic communication with the central office in Norfolk-street,
Strand, and an application at this office for the removal to one of the Board's hospitals of a patient
suffering from smallpox, fevers or diphtheria, is immediately followed by the departure of a fullyequipped
ambulance for the patient. Cases of smallpox are usually conveyed to one of the wharves
of the managers where the invalid is transferred to an ambulance steamer and thus carried to one of
the floating hospitals near Purfleet.
In addition to the above there are two ambulances belonging to the London Fever Hospital,
Islington, as well as others belonging to one or two persons who are prepared to let out carriages on
payment to those who may need them.
(A) (2)—The removal of cases of infectious disease from one house to another.—In accordance
with the provisions of section 6 of the Poor Law Act of 1889 the asylum managers may allow their
carriages to be used for the conveyance of persons suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder
to and from hospitals and places other than asylums provided by the asylum managers, and may
make reasonable charge for that use.
So far therefore as infectious diseases are concerned the arrangements of London are complete.
(B)—Conveyance of non-infectious invalids.—The conveyance of non-infectious invalids is undertaken
by—
(a) The St. John Ambulance Association, which possesses a number of ambulance
carriages, to be had on application and payment at St. John's-gate, Clerkenwell.
(b) Ambulances in the possession of livery stable owners.