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68
Sanitary Administration of the District,
"It is well known that the smaller the hospital the
greater is the average cost per patient, and also, though
it is not a corollary, that the more patients to be dealt
with within one institution the smaller the average cost,
so that we have here other arguments in favour of a
collection of the cases in one hospital.
"The average cost of maintenance per patient
(excluding capital charges) in the three hospitals,
during the years ending 1917-18-19 was respectively
for Brentford £38 15s. 5d., for Chiswick £42 11s. 7d.,
and for Ealing £19 5s. 0d.
"The Brentford Council is in a favourable position
as regards capital charges, which are so low as £191,
compared with £836 for Chiswick and £1,018 for Ealing,
but on the other hand the annual maintenance expenses
for Brentford are high, on the average £1,045 (population
17,000), compared with £1,859 for Chiswick (population
43,500) and £2,457 for Ealing (population 64,480) for
the average of the three years 1917-18-19. Considering
the capital charges and the maintenance together,
the annual costs, taking the oapital charges for 1919
and the average of three years' maintenance work
out at £1,236 for Brentford, £2,695 for Chiswick, and
£3,476 for Ealing. If we take this average total outlay
and calculate it according to rateable value, we find
that Brentford would have to pay an annual amount
of £884 compared with £2,245 for Chiswick and £4,278
for Ealing. Brentford would gain substantially and
Ealing would be penalised on account of its high rateable
value.
"If there is to be a combination of hospitals, the
only prarticable method would be by means of a Joint