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but that clinical trials were desired, and that the Clinical Research Committee had
set up a sub-committee to consider the matter and to arrange for trials. The subcommittee
reported that the trials had not demonstrated any high therapeutic value
of the serum and that large-scale trials were not indicated. The use of the serum for
prophylaxis was considered by the sub-committee as it was thought that, in a disease
like whooping-cough with its ill-defined onset, there would be more scope for prophylaxis
than treatment.
Medical
Society
The Medical Society, whose inauguration was mentioned in my report of 1945,
started the year with 320 members and ended the year with 315. During the year,
three discussion meetings were held at County Hall, one on "Surgery of the hand,"
the second on "Dental disease in its relation to ill-health" and the third on "Penicillin."
Clinical meetings have been held at four general and three special hospitals;
the society also visited Roffey Park Rehabilitation Centre in the summer.
The average attendance at discussion meetings was GO, the largest attendance
being at the penicillin meeting, when 97 members were present. The attendance at
clinical meetings has averaged 95, the largest attendance being 120 at the Maudsley
Hospital.
Staff on war
service
Staff
Shortly before the outbreak of war in 1939, hospital staff who were members of
the Territorial Army and the Royal Naval Reserve commenced to be called up for
duty with H.M. Forces, and by the end of 1945 a total of 1,203 permanent hospital
staff in the following grades were with the Forces: medical, 51; nursing (male) 170;
nursing (female) 79; male domestic, 514; clerical, 207; other staff, 182.
In addition, 40 members of the permanent staff of all grades left to undertake
some form of national service, while 366 temporary staff joined the Forces or took up
war industry—a comprehensive total of 1,609.
Appointments
during the
war
During the war a simplified procedure was adopted for the appointment and
promotion of hospital staff. Apart from a few special exceptions, all appointments
and promotions were made only on a temporary basis but with the conditions of
service for permanent staff. This practice continued until the latter part of 1946, by
which time the majority of the staff who had been called up had returned. The
war-time powers delegated to medical superintendents, matrons and stewards were
then withdrawn, and the hospital committees resumed their former functions. A
review of all the temporary appointments and promotions that had been made was
then commenced and the pre-war procedure re-instated.
Shortage
of staff
The call-up of men from hospital staffs for H.M. Forces combined with the
heavy demand on man and woman power for war work led to considerable and
gradually increasing shortage in certain grades, notably nursing and male and female
domestic staff. These shortages did not, however, become acute until 1943-44,
principally because redundant staff from hospitals which had suffered severe damage
from bombing were distributed among other hospitals. The position then began to
deteriorate seriously as replacements became inadequate in quality and number, and
it was with the utmost difficulty that a reasonable standard of efficiency was maintained.
When the flying-bomb attack developed in 1944-45, the hospitals sustained
further damage. Child-patients and chronic sick patients, together with nursing
staff, were evacuated from London to hospitals administered by other authorities,
and four hospitals were opened by the Council in the provinces with staff of all grades,
mostly transferred from London. This increased the difficulties and it became
necessary to resort to the recruitment of persons not normally eligible for employment,
e.g., aliens and staff beyond the normal age of retirement; to extend the fields of
employment of married women and part-time workers; and to employ women
on work hitherto done by men.
Return of
staff from
war service
With the conclusion of the war, 322 members of the permanent staff returned by
the end of 1945, and a further 706 by the end of 1946; 72 members of the staff were