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18
The Council requested me to furnish them with some information
as to the probable cost of building, maintenance, &c., of the proposed
Hospital.
In October I presented the following report:—
"The essential parts of a Hospital for Infectious Diseases are as
follows:—
1.—An administrative block; including rooms for Matron, Nurse,
Servant, Dispensary, &c.
2.—"Wards for Patients.
3.—Outbuildings, viz: Laundry, Disinfecting Chamber, Ambulance
Shed and Mortuary.
I do not consider it necessary in this report to enter into the
details as to the construction of these buildings, and shall confine
myself to the amount of accommodation required ; the cost of the
Buildings, and the cost of maintenance.
The question of Site has been considered in a separate report.
1.—Accommodation required for this District.
Before this can be decided it is necessary to consider what
Diseases are to be treated in the Hospital. It would be out of the
question to make permanent provision for all the diseases named in the
Notification Act, as some of these can be quite as efficiently treated in
their own homes. In my opinion we should make provision for the
isolation of cases of
Scarlet Fever.
Diphtheria.
Typhoid Fever.
Small Pox.
The next point to determine is the number of, beds which would
be required.
For large towns it has been stated that 1 bed per 1000 of
population would be sufficient.
This rule would however, not hold good in the case of our District,
indeed it has been proved that for country districts this amount of
accommodation is insufficient; for, in country districts infection
spreads more rapidly than in Towns.
In forming an opinion we have also to take into account the
following considerations:
1.—The danger of infection being introduced by visitors owing
to our proximity to London.
2.—The occurrence of outbreaks of more than one infectious
Disease at the same time.
3.—The character of the house accommodation in the District.
Where in a working class district like ours, the home
isolation of any disease requiring it, is practically out of the
question in the majority of cases, more beds are required
than in a district where better class houses are the rule.
4.—Whether the Hospital is intended to be a final and inelastic
establishment, or merely a permanent provision sufficient
for non-epidemic times, but capable of rapid extension at a
few days notice in case of serious epidemic.