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General Provision of Health Services.
HOSPITALS.
Infectious Diseases.
(1) The Plaistow Fever Hospital contains 210 beds, originally
allocated for the reception of scarlet fever, diphtheria and
enteric fever cases, with isolation beds for mixed or staff cases.
The slight incidence of enteric fever in recent years has enabled
the Medical Superintendent to receive and treat certain other infectious
cases as well as to admit special cases for teaching purposes,
including severe Measles, Tubercular peritonitis, Encephalitis
Lethargica. Cases of Puerperal Pyrexia and Puerperal
Fever can now be admitted and treated at this Hospital. (See
report of M.O.H. on pages 89, 90, re Hospital accommodation.)
(2) The Grange Convalescent Home consists of a residential
Institution with 7 acres of grounds, together with 61 acres of
land situated at Harold Wood, being about 9 miles from the
Borough. It was opened on 22nd February, 1909, for the reception
of scarlet fever convalescents, and is capable of accommodating
60 patients. (See page 89, 90, re extension of accommodation
for infectious cases.)
Smallpox.
(3) Dagenham Smallpox Hospital, situated about 9 miles
from the Borough, occupies a site of 6½ acres, enclosed within
the Rookery farm of 119 acres, owned and cultivated by the
Council. It consists of permanent buildings, capable of accommodating
50 patients with the administrative staff required for
their care, together with temporary iron buildings sufficient for a
further 200 cases. The permanent buildings were opened in 1899,
and the Hospital is a safeguard in epidemic periods of smallpox
to the greater part of London-over-the-Border, as by agreement
thirteen other Authorities contribute to the maintenance of the
Hospital in consideration of West Ham undertaking to receive
and treat all the smallpox patients sent to the Hospital by those
authorities, viz., Barking, East Ham, Romford Joint Hospital
Board, Ilford, Wanstead, Waltham Joint Hospital Board, Brentwood,
Billericay, Loughton, Epping Rural, Epping Urban, Ongar
Rural, Leyton. (See page 11 re smallpox outbreak.)
Tuberculosis.
DAGENHAM SANATORIUM.
(4) Under the Tuberculosis Scheme formulated after the passing
of the National Health Insurance Act, the Council were permitted
to use Dagenham Hospital as a Temporary Sanatorium
for Adults with Pulmonary Tuberculosis, but owing to an outbreak
of smallpox at Easter, 1920, the Hospital had to be promptly
cleared of consumptive patients and revert to its primary use, a
costly and very inconvenient undertaking, as only 30 smallpox
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