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41
for several medical officers, who wished, while taking a further qualification on
demobilisation from H.M. Forces, to enlarge their experience.
In addition, small parties of students visited hospitals on numerous occasions,
receiving in many cases an explanatory lecture or demonstration from the medical
superintendent, or other officer, on the organisation and working of the hospital as a
whole or of some special department in it. Such visits included parties from the
London School of Economics and the Battersea Polytechnic and comprised almoner
students, sister-tutor students, school nursing sisters, health visitor students, postgraduate
nurses of various types, and other similar visitors. The scheme whereby
Ministry of Labour cookery trainees gain experience in institutional cookery by
working in the kitchens of a number of the Council's hospitals was continued and
extended.
There is reason to believe that most of the visitors were favourably impressed
by the service and made fruitful use of the opportunities presented.
During the past year special attention has been concentrated on the preparation
and service of meals to patients and staff in the Council's hospitals and a number of
visits have been made by the responsible officers from County Hall for the purpose
of investigating and advising on these questions.
Hospital
meals
It has long been realised that the provision of meals for hospital patients requires
a careful selection of the available foods, good cooking and attractive presentation,
in order to provide an adequate dietary. Rationing restrictions and a severe shortage
of domestic staff have, however, rendered the achievement of this result very
difficult. Restrictions in supplies have also prevented very necessary improvements
in the equipment of hospital kitchens.
It has been decided to appoint a special catering officer, with an over-all
responsibility, for all feeding arrangements for an experimental period at three
hospitals of different types. When the necessary experience has been gained the
question of an extension of the scheme will be considered.
Medical
education
The provision of medical education in the Council's hospitals has been widely
developed since the Council assumed responsibility for hospital administration in
1930. The educational facilities have been described in a number of annual reports;
the most recent and comprehensive description is contained in the Council minutes
for 20th October, 1942 (pages 823-843), where will be found the evidence submitted
by the Council to the (Goodenough) Departmental Committee on Medical Schools.
They include the provision of clinical instruction to undergraduates from the
voluntary hospital medical schools as well as post graduate instruction not only at
the British Postgraduate Medical School, which is located at Hammersmith
Hospital, but also at several general hospitals where teaching and clinical experience
are available for medical men and women aiming at the acquisition of the higher
professional qualifications. These arrangements, modified to meet war-time
conditions, were continued during the year under review.
Courses of instruction in infectious disease at fever hospitals were attended by
586 students, of whom 124 were women. One of the two fever hospitals at which
resident courses were held was closed to fever cases, but in the latter part of the year
a resident course was introduced at the North-Eastern Hospital.
Postgraduate courses were arranged at groups of general hospitals in north and
south London, in collaboration with the local medical and panel committee for the
County of London.
Weekly clinical "rounds," to which private practitioners are invited, have been
instituted for several years past at a number of the Council's general hospitals and
have proved to be very successful and much appreciated. At St. James' Hospital,
Balham, the numbers who attend vary between 20 and 30 practitioners each week.
Clinical
rounds
Over six years have elapsed since the Clinical Research Committee was set up
in June, 1939. The following account summarises its work since its inception:—
It consists of thirteen members, membership of those elected is limited to
Clinical
Research
Committee