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14
Some idea of the number of these cases may be gathered
from the fact, that, during the first six months of the year,
when the accommodation was ample, over 80 per cent. of the
notified cases were removed as compared with under 60 per
cent. in the last six months.
When it was evident that the accommodation at the
Board's Hospitals was inadequate, the Clerk to the
Asylums' Board wrote to the Vestry, stating, "that as the
available accommodation at the Board's Hospitals was
nearly exhausted, new cases could only be admitted as
vacancies were occasioned by discharges and deaths, and
expressing a hope that instructions would be given by the
Vestry to the officers concerned, to arrange for preference
being given to the removal of those patients who, as a consequence
of their surroundings and conditions of life, are
most in need of hospital treatment."
In reply to the Board's request respecting the "selection
of cases,” the Vestry pointed out that it was of little use for
their officers to endeavour to select the most urgent cases,
if the officers of the Asylums' Board use their own discretion
in the removal of patients, as was the case when the hospitals
were full in 1893, as then patients were removed from this
Parish in spite of the Medical Officer of Health having
telegraphed to the Board that he considered them
well isolated, and that other more urgent cases were awaiting
removal. The Vestry informed the Board that they were
of opinion that when the available accommodation at the
Managers' hospitals is so limited, no cases should be
removed except at the request of the Medical Officer of
Health, for the district, as he was in a position to know the
circumstances and surroundings of all the patients notified
to him as suffering from infectious diseases, and could therefore
form an opinion as to which were really the most urgent
cases.
It is, however, to be regretted that the Managers of the
Asylums' Board persisted in having the selection of
patients for the beds becoming vacant daily by deaths or
discharges, made by the officers employed in the Ambulance
Department of the Asylums' Board. To the request of the
Vestry that their officials should be consulted with as to the