View report page

176
Origin—
Hospital 27 (20)
Public assistance department 9 (14)
Other sources 1 (3)
37 (37)
Donations.
From time to time small donations are made to the hospitals and institutions
in recognition of the treatment of patients and inmates. During the year such gifts
were received at thirty-one of the general hospitals and institutions, amounting to
a total sum of £305 2s. 8d. The individual sums varied from 1s. to £25. The
highest total was received at St. Mary Abbots hospital, to which £38 12s. 6d. was
given, while at certain hospitals and institutions situated in poorer districts no
donations were recieved. These are apart from the legacy from Mr. James Foster
previously mentioned (page 34).
In the special hospitals donations were received at nineteen hospitals, amounting
to a total of £90 16s. 3d. The individual amounts varied between 1s. 6d.
and £12 10s. The highest total sum was received at the Queen Mary's hospital
for children, Carshalton, to which £26 17s. 6d. was given, while certain of the hospitals
received no donations.
Funerals of persons of Moslem faith.
The Council considered an application from the Indigent Moslem Burial Fund
for assistance towards the cost of the funerals of poor Moslems who die in the
Council's hospitals and institutions. A special burial ground for this purpose
exists at Brookwood, and the provision for the burial of such patients includes a
funeral according to the Islamic law and the erection of a simple monument. The
Council decided to assist the Fund by the grant in the case of each funeral of a sum
equivalent to the cost of a contract funeral by the Council.
Information for the press.
As a result of representations made to the Council by certain of the press
agencies, it was decided that the medical officer of health should be authorised to
arrange for information with regard to the condition or identity of patients or
inmates in the hospitals and institutions to be given by the heads of the establishments
to accredited representatives of the press, provided that in each case the
consent of the patient or inmate or, if he was incapable of giving it, of the relatives,
was first obtained.
With a view to reducing the number of enquiries made, two of the largest
press agencies agreed to make the enquiries on behalf of their constituent
newspapers.
Departmental Committees.
Hospital
standards.
In April, 1930, immediately following the transfer of the functions of the
former poor-law authorities of London to the County Council under the Local
Government Act, 1929, a departmental committee was set up by the medical officer
of health with the following order of reference:—
"To consider what general standards, if any, should be adopted for the
structure, equipment and maintenance, including staffing, and methods of
heating, lighting and ventilation, of the public hospitals of London ; and to
consider also what hygienic standards, if any, should be adopted for the institutions,
homes and poor law schools transferred to the Council under the Local
Government Act, 1929."
The original committee was enlarged from time to time and was eventually
composed of the following members:—
Dr. W. Brander, principal medical officer, public health department.
Dr. J. A. H. Brincker, principal medical officer, public health department.
Dr. H. W. Bruce, area medical officer, public health department.
Dr. A. F. Cameron, chief medical superintendent of the infectious hospitals
service, medical superintendent, River hospitals, Dartford.