View report page

38
their spare time (under medical control) and articles made by them during
such spare time became their property. For this purpose the raw materials
are sold to the patients at slightly above cost price (20 to 25 per cent. above
cost price at Market Drayton; 50 per cent, above cost price at Godalming).
At Godalming, patients were allowed to keep articles made by them in two
workshop sessions per week, those made at other workshop sessions being
the property of the institution.
At Market Drayton and at Peppards Common no definite arrangements
appear to be in force for a continuance of occupation at home after discharge
from the sanatorium; at Godalming—the sanatorium being one of
the Metropolitan Asylums Board institutions, dealing with tuberculous
patients from the London area—patients after discharge could continue
leatherwork at a central workshop established through Red Cross and other
funds at Hatton Garden.
It was made clear that some of the occupations, even where a patient
could work only for a short time each day, could bring in an appreciable
addition to the household income, assuming a satisfactory market for the
goods. Thus a hand-loom weaver of cotton cloth of average intelligence
and ability, and with no special artistic bent, working only two hours a
day, might make a clear profit over cost of materials of some 15/- to 20/- a
week making such articles as curtains, scarves, canvas bags, etc.; a cane
basket-maker working three or four hours a day at small decorative baskets,
marketing baskets, etc., might make a profit of 20/- to 30/- per week; and
rafifia work resulting in fancy mats, handbags and decorative articles might
be similarly remunerative. In these rough estimates of the capacity of the
occupations to provide some income, no allowance is made for salary paid
to any instructor who might be required to supervise the work, nor for incidental
expenses, if any, in connection with the sale of articles.
The amount of training required for these three occupations—hand-loom
weaving (cotton), raffia work, and basketry is small, and a period of one
month is ample in each case. Patients are found in general to became
easily interested in the work. For weaving of woollen goods (broadcloth,
etc.), some three to four months' training might be required.
The schemes at the several sanatoria were found not to be entirely selfsupporting.
In all, experience showed that the sale of goods more than
covered the cost of material and equipment, but did not fully cover the wages
of the instructors.
B. Proposals in regard to Croydon.
(1) At Cheam Sanatorium.
The general principles on which the proposals are put forward are
as follows:—
(a) To provide at the sanatorium occupation which will keep the
patients contented, relieve them from introspection, and encourage them
to prolong their stay as long as may be practicable.
(b) In selecting such occupations, bearing in mind the type of
patient treated at Cheam, to choose those (i) suitable for patients of
medium or advanced grade, avoiding therefore strenuous or dusty occupations;
and (ii) not requiring prolonged training, expert knowledge, or
special dexterity; (iii) resulting in small articles giving a comparatively
high return on sale; and (iv) not prejudiced by intermittent employment.
(c) Further, in selecting occupations for the sanatorium, to choose
those which can provide a source of income on discharge; i.e., those
which the patient can continue to engage in, either at. home or at suitable
central workshops, with small initial expenditure, and capable of being
conducted under such circumstances without constant and detailed supervision.
(d) To select occupations not hampered by trade regulations.