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12
The great advantage of the premises was the isolated
position being a considerable distance from any habitations.
The patients were removed from their homes by the ambulance
of the Ealing Borough Council after which the houses
bedding, etc.. were also disinfected by the Officials of this
Authority.
The ward itself was also heated by a small slow comtion
"Tortoise" stove placed near the centre.
Two women were engaged, one who had had some previous
experience in nursing, the other a hardworking capable
woman, who did the cooking and rough work. All the cases
were of an exceedingly mild type and required very little
special treatment.
Fortunately the cases were all children except one that refused
removal, and of an age not requiring to be separated
on account of sex. Had an adult male case occurred it would
have been necessary to use one of the other rooms.
At the end of the year the Hospital was still in use and I
think it will be found that it will have justified its existence
especially on the grounds of economy.
As is usual in buildings of this kind there was experienced
the difficulty of maintaining an equal temperature in the
ward during the variations of weather, but this was regulated
by the heating arrangements already mentioned and a
satisfactory result depended upon the viligance of the worr.en
in charge. The buildings, furniture, etc., were insured against
fire, the latter danger being duly impressed upon these women.
After making these arrangements and getting the Hospital
ready the first cases that occurred refused removal thereto.
These were three in number, all in Brent Cottages, one being
a party that upset the original arrangement previously related.
A Justices order was therefore obtained, but still
the refusal for removal was persisted in, and summonses
were iss ed against two of the delinquents (the third not
being pressed by the Council) for obstructing the order, and
both defendants were fined 40s., the cases however were not
removed and strange to say no other case occurred in this
row of cottages that could be ascertained, although there
were a number of susceptible children and the back yard
was common to the row, and apparently every facility for the
disease spreading existed. Still nothing further could be done