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should be available for the reception of patients suffering from
any of the acute infectious diseases (with the exception perhaps
of Small-pox) in all cases where isolation and suitable accommodation
and treatment cannot be provided at home. In this way,
and if such cases were admitted in the initial stage of the
illness, fatal and debilitating complications would be eliminated.
Far too often patients are admitted at a late stage of the disease
when specific and routine treatment are powerless to avoid a fatal
issue or the occurrence of serious sequelae, and the suggestion
that hospitals should be utilised mainly for the admission of
patients in whom complications have supervened can only be based
upon a lack of scientific knowledge and ignorance of the principles
of preventive medicine.
4. LIGHT TREATMENT.
The use of a single arc lamp, carbon has been used for
general irradiation and tungsten for local treatment, has afforded
a very valuable means of dealing with debilitated patients and
with those in whom localised complications, especially cervical
adenitis and otitis media, have arisen. Unfortunately it is only
possible to treat one patient at a time with general ultra-violet
radiation, and the installation of a large quadruple arc lamp would
prove a great boon during the winter months.
5. ILLNESS AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE STAFF.
The year has been noteworthy for the few cases of illness
which have occurred in members of the staff, and this in spite of
the fact that duties have been very heavy and accommodation far
from ideal; but it must be remembered that a high degree of
physical fitness is demanded in candidates for appointment to the
nursing or domestic staff of the Hospital.
Five members of the nursing staff contracted Diphtheria and
two contracted Scarlet Fever, whilst one member of the domestic
staff contracted Diphtheria.
Fourteen members of the nursing staff and 11 members of the
domestic staff were vaccinated against Small-pox during the year
1927.
The question of prophylactic immunisation to Diphtheria
and Scarlet Fever has been carefully considered, and the results
obtained in other Institutions are so very satisfactory as to warrant
the application of these methods to the members of our own staff.