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were in labour, and the hospitals were obliged to accept them as emergencies. A
number of other expectant mothers went into the country under the official evacuation
scheme, but returned to London unannounced just before their confinement.
The total number of maternal deaths was 25, 17 being directly due to pregnancy
or confinement and 8 to causes associated with these conditions. This represents
a maternal mortality of 1.91 per thousand total births, a decrease from the rate for
1943, which was 2.67.
The number of maternity beds was decreased, and 523 beds (including 101 for
ante-natal patients) were in occupation in ten units in the acute general hospitals.
Chronic
sick
hospitals
At the beginning of the year the number of beds provided in the chronic sick
hospitals was 2,885. Until the evacuation of the Council's hospitals in August,
1944, referred to above, the whole of this accommodation, apart from a number of
beds which could not be used owing to shortage of nursing and domestic staff, was
fully occupied. After the evacuation, the only chronic sick hospitals remaining
open were St. John's Hospital, Battersea, and St. Pancras Hospital. The number
of chronic sick patients remaining in London hospitals at the end of the year was
555.
Acute
infectious
hospitals
The South-Eastern Hospital remained closed throughout the year. In the early
part of the year there were a considerable number of scarlet fever cases requiring
admission to hospital, and throughout the year the shortage of isolation accommodation
and of nursing and domestic staff dominated the problem of fever hospital
administration. Towards the end of 1944, it became obvious that London would
once again be faced with a measles epidemic, although the scale of the epidemic
could not be estimated owing to altered conditions occasioned by the evacuation of
children from London.
The highest number of fever patients under treatment during the year was 1,977
on 5th April, 1944. The lowest figure was 670 on 13th September, 1944. (mainly
due to the considerable evacuation of the civilian population occasioned by the
advent of flying bombs). .
The total number of fever patients admitted was 15,782, compared with 24,085
in 1943. In addition to cases of infectious diseases, 3,727 non-fever patients were
admitted to general wards in the acute infectious diseases hospitals.
Smallpox
Two cases of smallpox were admitted during the year to the Clandon Isolation
Hospital, where, by agreement with the Surrey County Council, London cases are
received.
Tuberculosis
hospitals
Until the evacuation of hospitals in August, 1944, all available beds for tuberculosis
were occupied with the exception of a number of beds at Grove Park Hospital
which could not be opened owing to a shortage of nursing and domestic staff.
Children's
hospitals
The scheme whereby children were transferred from Dulwich, St. Giles, Camberwell
and St. James', Balham, Hospitals at an early stage of acute illness to Queen
Mary's Hospital, Carshalton, continued until July, although the transfer of children
under one year of age was stopped owing to extensive quarantine at Queen Mary's
Hospital, Carshalton. During the period from January to July, 1944, 1,178 children
were dealt with under this arrangement.
Hospitals for
epileptics
war.
The two hospitals for epileptics continued to provide treatment as before the
The number of patients undergoing treatment remained fairly constant.
Convalescent
hospitals
Princess Mary's Convalescent Hospital, Margate, remained closed throughout
the year and a very limited number of convalescent adult patients were sent to
Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. A number of adult male and female convalescent
patients were sent to voluntary establishments.
Other
hospitals
The convalescent fever hospitals (Northern Hospital at Winchmore Hill and
Southern and Joyce Green Hospitals at Dartford) continued to serve a useful function
in receiving large numbers of patients suffering from non-infectious conditions from
the inner hospitals.