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27—Hospital Staff.—In February, 1894, the Committee determined
that the Hospital should be permanently opened for the
reception of scarlet fever and diphtheria patients. They therefore
decided to elect a permanent staff, and I take this opportunity of
thanking them for the honour they conferred upon me by
appointing me Visiting Physician to the Croydon Borough Hospital.
28—The Committee subsequently instructed me to report upon
the number of staff required and to define their duties and general
regulations. These regulations were in due course approved and
adopted by the Committee, and I can testify with gratification to
the ready manner in which the staff complied with the rules that
were framed with a view to prevent the transference of infection.
29—In March, 1894, Mr. A. Robb-Smith, M. B, C. M.
Edinburgh, was appointed first Resident Medical Officer of the
Hospital. He retained the post until the following October, when
he resigned to lake up general practice. I desire to express my
appreciation of the good fortune which associated me with Dr.
Robb-Smith in the opening and early administration of the
Hospital.
30—Mr. Archibald Kidd, M.R.C.S, L.R.C.P., London, was
elected to succeed Dr. Robb-Smith, and he still retains the
appointment. He came to us with a distinguished record gained
at the Middlesex Hospital, and to him I am indebted for his
capable and zealous co operation and for the compilation of many
of the tables.
31—I also gladly acknowledge the assistance afforded me by
Miss Cootes, the Matron, and by the resident staff in every
department.
32—Staff Illness.—It is with much regret that I have to report
that during the year seven of the staff were warded for illness
Four nurses were attacked with scarlet fever, and in one of these
varicella was co-existent. They all recovered.
33—One nurse and two ward maids contracted enteric fever,
and although their condition for some time gave rise to some
anxiety, they made excellent recoveries.