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External paving is provided at each nursery at the rate of
25 sq. ft. per child. Air raid shelters are constructed of reinforced
brickwork with a reinforced concrete roof.
HOSPITALS.
Smallpox. The Surrey County Isolation Hospital,
Clandon—accommodation 28 beds.
These premises form the hospital provision for smallpox
for the whole of the administrative County of Surrey, and is
administered as a County service. No cases were admitted
from this district during the years 1940/41/42.
Infectious Diseases. The Wandle Valley Joint Hospital
situated at Beddington Corner, Mitcham, maintained conjointly
by the following districts:—
Beddington and Wallington Borough;
Coulsdon and Purley Urban;
Merton and Morden Urban;
Mitcham Borough.
This hospital suffered a reduction in accommodation owing
to the discontinuance of a cubicle block which reduced the
available accommodation under war conditions, to 122 beds. In
addition to a numerical reduction in beds this is liable to impose
a special strain on isolation facilities. Another factor governing
hospital accommodation which has operated to the disadvantage
of the Wandle Valley Isolation Hospital has been the shortage
of nursing staff. Even under these difficulties however the
hospital has maintained its previous service. One ward has been
altered to provide for admission of 10 cases of Typhus, in the
event of an outbreak of that disease, and arrangements for the
delousing and cleansing of contacts for the district has also been
provided at the hospital. In 1940, 147 infectious eases were
admitted from this district, compared with 144 in the year
before. In 1941, 154 cases and in 1942, 247 cases were admitted
from this district.
General and Maternity.
1. The Nelson Hospital for Wimbledon, Merton and
District. The Bed Complement at this hospital is now termed
as 100 Casualty Beds (with permission to use these for Civilian
sick patients) plus 21 maternity beds (reserved for civilian
patients only).
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