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46
The Porter's Wife assists, when required, in the Laundry, etc.
Relatives and friends are allowed to visit patients on Sunday
afternoons between two and four o'clock, but are only allowed to
communicate with the patients through the windows. If any
patient is dangerously ill, special arrangements are made.
An agreement has been entered into with the Friern Barnet
Urban District Council, whereby from March 25th, 1920, twelve
beds are reserved for the exclusive use of Friern Barnet patients, in
consideration of. an annual payment by the Friern Barnet Council
of £720, and in addition Is. 6d. a day for each patient in respect of
the patient's maintenance.
Patients from outside Districts, other than Friern Barnet,
with whom there is a special agreement, are admitted when there is
sufficient accommodation for them; the authorities of the Districts
from which they come paying the Southgate Council for their
maintenance.
The average cost per patient per day during the past year
was 16s. 6d. as against 16s. 2d. during the previous year.
During the year 190 cases were admitted ; of these 136
were notified as Scarlet Fever, 52 as Diphtheria, one as
Encephalitis Lethargica, and one as Mumps. In 4 cases sent in as
suffering from Diphtheria, the diagnosis was not confirmed by
subsequent bacteriological examinations, and they were discharged
after 7, 25, 5, and 7 days respectively.
Fifty-two of the cases were sent in by Friern Barnet and 5
by Wood Green.
There were 3 deaths, one from Scarlet Fever 3 days after
admission, and 2 from Diphtheria, 4 and 2 days after admission
respectively.
It should be noted that these cases of Diphtheria were not
seen by a doctor until the third and fourth day of the disease
respectively. They proved to be severe cases, and consequently,
though they received large doses of antitoxin immediately on
arrival at the Hospital, it was too late to be of any service, as
the poison of the disease had got too long a start.