London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1944

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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35
Beds for patients suffering from venereal diseases were provided at Sheffield
Street, Bethnal Green and St. Charles' Hospitals.
Venereal
diseases

The numbers of patients admitted during 1944, compared with 1938 and are shown below:—

193819431944§
Acute general hospitals173,796142,772*127,184*
Chronic sick hospitals10,014‡8,4517,244
Convalescent hospitals (adults)4,698
„ „ (children)4,257
Convalescent fever hospitals2,94218,490†17,076†
Acute fever hospitals33,15927,204Ø19,509Ø
Tuberculosis hospitals4,1634,039Ø2,496Ø
Children's hospitals5,4895,7633,929
Post-encephalitis lethargica unit4935140**
Venereal diseases hospitals801413527
Nursery units18031
Epileptic hospitals237174297
Total239,605207,521178,433 ¶

Admissions
to public
health
hospitals
* Includes Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup. † Hospitals devoted wholly to non-fever patients.
‡ Includes 802 patients in social welfare establishments.
ø Includes general medical patients § The figures for 1944 are provisional only.
** Includes 125 patients temporarily transferred during evacuation.
¶ In addition, 1,155 tuberculosis patients and 269 chronic sick patients were admitted to
auxiliary hospitals administered by the Council in the north of England and Scotland
On 15th and 17th December, 1944, the tuberculous patients at Naburn Emergency
Hospital, York, were, at the instance of the Ministry of Health, returned to
Grove Park and Colindale Hospitals.
On 16th October, 1944, 70 patients suffering from pleural effusion who had
been evacuated from Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, to Hefferston Grange Sanatorium,
Chester, were returned to Sidcup.
Return of
evacuated
patients
In February, 1944, approval was given to the establishment at Lambeth Hospital
of an ophthalmic unit consisting of 64 beds for the admission of ophthalmic patients
for whom the Royal Eye Hospital had no in-patient accommodation.
The unit was opened on 20th June, 1944, but, owing to damage by enemy action,
was closed on 30th June. It was partially reopened on 1st December, 1944.
Lambeth
Hospital
ophthalmic
unit
The arrangements for the medical examination and treatment at the Council's
hospitals of civil defence personnel, including ambulance, fire, rescue and debris
clearance services staff, were continued throughout the year.
Treatment of
civil defence
personnel
During the past year, six legacies have been received for the benefit of certain
of the Council's hospitals, viz., Bethnal Green Hospital (£55 and £155), Lewisham
Hospital (£435), New End Hospital, Hampstead (£22 and £28), and St. Giles' Hospital,
Camberwell (£25). In accordance with the Council's policy, the larger sums have
been invested and the interest will be used for the benefit of the patients and staff
of the hospitals concerned.
Legacies to
hospitals
Samaritan Funds, from gifts received from ex-patients or their relatives, in
gratitude for treatment received, have been opened at three more of the Council's
hospitals during the past year.
Samaritan
Funds
The arrangements made in 1935 between the Council and the Invalid Children's
Aid Association, whereby the Council pays capitation grants to the Association in
respect of children sent to convalescent homes, has been continued during the year.
The number of children treated during 1944-45 was 650, compared with 1,570 during
1943-44 and 1,400 in 1942-3, but the reduced use of the facilities available will, it
is anticipated, prove to be temporary. It was no doubt due largely to the flying
bomb and rocket attacks.
Invalid
Children's
Aid
Association—
convalescence
of children
In 1944 the amount ot work done by district medical officers showed a slight
decrease compared with that in 1943, probably due to the evacuation of a number of
District
medical
service