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27
Much good work has been done in it, but the building—as I have said—has
outlived its usefulness and it is not the best advertisement for such a progressive
town as Barking that nothing more suitable is provided for the little strangers who
come amongst us, and who, after all, are the most important visitors the town can
ever hope to have.
I feel sure that a more suitable building, would attract even larger numbers
than at present avail themselves of the amenities you offer.
Your infectious fever hospital comprises as wards three blocks of buildings.
These are commonly known as the diphtheria ward, the scarlet fever ward and the
new ward. The diphtheria and the scarlet fever blocks are built upon the same
pattern as the maternity block—of galvanized iron with matchboard lining. The
new ward is a temporary structure and is a large hut built in sections.
The diphtheria and scarlet fever wards have outlived their usefulness. Good
work has been done in them, and, failing anything better being provided, good
work will continue to be done in them, but they hardly comply with reasonable
standards of buildings for infectious fever hospitals of today.
The new ward could be used as a convalescent ward, but even as such it does
not provide highly satisfactory accommodation in winter time.
The new hospital which is being built to provide accommodation for fifty-eight
beds is a really first-class, up-to-date building. It is being built in such a way that
future extensions can be made according to plan and at a cost less than would be
the case if the essential units had not been built of the dimensions they have been
built.
The question as to how many beds should be provided by any town for the
reception of infectious diseases is one which can only be answered when the special
circumstances of any such town are carefully explored.
It is obvious, where houses are small and no provision can be made at home
even for nursing, leave alone isolation, there is a larger demand for infectious beds
than where the housing conditions are far better.
It is also obvious that, where a town has a large child population housed under
average conditions, they will want a larger number of beds than a town with a small
child population, such as a residential resort for people who have retired.