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number of admissions, the actual decrease in the number of patients
admitted through the mechanism of the poor law is very much
greater. On the other hand, there has been an increase of 30.8
per cent. in the number of patients who were admitted by general
practitioners through the relieving officers during the period 19311937.
It is obvious that under the present constitution the relieving
officers must be directly involved in all admissions. These
figures mean that the institution is yearly developing more as a
first class general hospital, and that every year the "poor law
case" is becoming less in evidence. In 1937 this type of case
constituted only 5.4 per cent. of the total admissions.
From the data which are set out in Table III it is evident
that there has been a considerable increase in the work of the
consultants who are attached to the hospital. In the case of consultations
for ear disorders there has been no change since 1931In
all the other departments the increases have been very marked,
even when allowance is made for the increase in the number of
admissions. The following percentage increases for the patients
seen in 1937 over those seen in 1931 in the different departments
are illuminating: ophthalmic, 63.6; light, 50.2; gynaecological,
175.0; orthopaedic, 82.8; neurology, 39.0; urology, 63.8.
The conclusion which must be reached after examination of
these figures is that the hospital is yearly being used to a greater
degree by those members of the community who, as a result of
acute illness, are placed in the position of requiring the services
of specialists in a large general hospital. The admissions are
yearly becoming even more representative of that section of the
community which is prepared to contribute to a first-class voluntary
hospital for the services which it can render.
Anaesthetics. During 1937, the number of anaesthetics
given by the visiting anaesthetist was 627.
Dentist. The number of cases seen by the visiting dentist
was 265.
Diseases treated.
Table IV gives in tabular form a classification by disease
groups of the diseases for which patients were discharged from
or died in the hospital during the year.
A particularly noteworthy feature of Table IV is the large
proportion of admissions of patients whose illnesses were due to
violence. This indicates the facilities which are available for the
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