London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1891

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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71
view of this fact it is satisfactory to know that the Managers have been
able to make all their London hospitals available for the instruction of
medical students."
It is all the more satisfactory to know, in these circumstances,
that " the conjoint Board of the Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons now insist upon a certificated course of study at a fever
hospital forming a part of the five years' curriculum of every medical
student entering the profession." The facts with regard to the
admission of cases by error, afford the consolation of enabling us to
believe that there is a growing desire on the part both of patients and
doctors to make use of the means of isolation furnished by the
Managers' hospitals.
The Committee make mention of the fact that 77
out of 1,100 (or 67 per cent.) of the persons employed at the
hospitals were warded on account of diseases—fever, diphtheria or
measles—presumably contracted in the performance of their duties.
Two died. In 1890 the staff deaths were seven.
The Ambulance Work of the Managers comes in for a share of
the Committee's attention, and they mention the fact that since 1881,
until the end of 1891, some 56,868 fever and small-pox patients have
been removed from their homes to the various hospitals, and 13,176
recovered patients have been removed from the hospitals to their
homes. Sincc 1884, 4954 patients have been transferred from the
London Hospitals to the Managers' Wharves on the Thames, en route
for the Hospital Ships at Long Reach. Further, since September,
1887, 11,879 convalescent patients have been transferred from the
London Hospitals to (principally) the Northern Hospital, and 10,460
recovered patients have been brought back to London from that
hospital. During 1890-91, moreover, 446 patients were brought back
from the Gore Farm Hospital at Darenth. From near the end of
1889, 256 patients were conveyed to other places than the Managers'
hospitals. In all, therefore, 98,039 removals have been effected
since the establishment of the Land Ambulance Service. The River
Ambulance Service was established in February, 1884, since which
date, until the end of 1891, the Ambulance Steamers have carried
11,400 small-pox patients to the Hospital Ships, and have brought
back 10,411 recovered patients. Thus "the total removals of