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31
The Hampstead Hospital Case.—The long and costly
litigation in this cause celebre has been terminated by a compromise
entered into between the Asylums' Board and the
principal plaintiff, whose property has been purchased by the
Managers, who will be at liberty to treat a fixed number of
small-pox cases in the hospital, presumably the same number
as at Fulham, i.e., 75 mixed, or 50 severe or confluent.
A much needed improvement has been effected, by the purchase
of a right of way to the hospital, along the Fleet
Road, and the approach to the hospital, which previously
was unsatisfactory, is now all that could be desired.
HOSPITALS COMMISSION.
In my last annual report (pages 28-43 inclusive), I referred
to the recommendations of the Royal Commission for
making provision of hospital accommodation for the infectious
sick, and generally for dealing with epidemic diseases.
I propose now to state what has since been done by the
Managers of the Asylums Board, with the view of giving
effect to the recommendations : and first as regards
Small-pox Hospital Accommodation. The Commission
urged the desirability of hospitals being provided for smallpox
cases in isolated situations on the banks of the Thames,
of in floating hospitals on the river itself. The Managers
have provided both, for in addition to the Atlas which can
make up more than two hundred beds on an emergency, they
have purchased the twinship Castalia which has been adapted
for the reception of about 200 patients. These vessels with
their tender, the Endymion, are moored at Long Reach, and
opposite the moorings the Managers have purchased
upwards of eight acres of land for laundry, mortuary, and
general purposes, and have erected a pier and landing
stage. This land is within a short distance of
Darenth Asylum, in the grounds of which, it will be remembered,
a camp hospital for convalescent small-pox cases