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Obstetric Specialists.
In March, 1934, the Council appointed as Obstetric Specialists to
the Council Mr. Leslie Williams and Mr. Joseph Wrigley, both of whom
are specialists in this work attached to London Hospitals. In November,
1937, a third name was added, viz., Mr. Douglas Lindsay.
The services of these Specialists are available for advice, and, if
necessary, treatment in any case in which obstetrical difficulty is
anticipated or realised, or puerperal fever or pyrexia develops, in any
ratepayer in the District. In practice they are only called in to cases
in which the full normal fee of a Specialist cannot be afforded. Except
in the case of persons admitted to Purley Hospital, the Council reserves
the right to recover from the family part, or all, of the cost involved.
During the year one or other of the Specialists was called in for
consultation on 5 occasions, and subsequently required to operate on
2 cases.
Maternity Cases.
During the year the number of maternity cases admitted for their
confinement to Purley Hospital under the Council's Scheme fell from
an average of 84 in the three preceding years to 61. This reduction
was due to outbreaks of "pemphigus neonatorum," which necessitated
the closure of the ward on more than one occasion.
The Hospital is situated just within the boundary of the County
Borough of Croydon, and hence its supervision as a Maternity Home
is the responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health for that area.
The Council has the call on 3 of the 6 maternity beds in this Hospital,
but for several years this accommodation has been recognised as being
inadequate, and during the year 21 cases were sent to Queen Charlotte's,
while 18 cases were admitted to the County Hospital, Redhill.
A uniform charge is made for conveyance by ambulance to any
of these hospitals of maternity cases whose confinements are arranged
through the Council's Scheme, and, on and after the 1st April, 1938,
this will be 5s. 0d. per case. Similarly a uniform charge is made for
maintenance and treatment in both Purley Hospital and Queen
Charlotte's Hospital, while the County Council's charge for treatment
in Redhill varies with the means of the patient's family.
Unfortunately it has proved impossible to provide further accommodation
locally owing to the contemplated provision by the Surrey
County Council of 68 maternity beds at the St. Helier's Public Health
Hospital, the foundation stone of which was laid in March, 1938. Meanwhile
the Purley Hospital Committee are appealing for £45,000 for
extensions at the Hospital to include a new Maternity Block containing
12 beds.
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