View report page

"from the Hospital, such cost to be determined
"by the Joint Board, who shall have discretion to
"remit all or any part thereof." To make this
effective, a more up-to-date disinfecting apparatus
should be acquired, and proper vehicles be provided
for the transmission to and fro of articles to
be disinfected. At present there is nothing but the
ambulance itself for the purpose. There is also
pressing need for telephonic communication, and
this cannot in fairness to all concerned be much
longer delayed. It is in common use in nearly
every Fever Hospital within a telephone area, and
it only remains for your Council to recommend and
give facilities, and it could be carried out at a
trifling cost. The most important alteration in
the rules, however, is that for the future "No
"charge is to be made for maintenance or treat"ment
in Hospital;" but to those who can afford
and are willing to pay, the charges are on the
same scale, based on Rateable value, as heretofore.
In my last Report I dwelt strongly on the question
of whether it was politic to keep to the present
scale of charges and shewed reasons against it,
and offered as a suggestion that patients from
houses of the lowest Rateable value should be
admitted free. The Joint Board have gone further,
and in throwing it open free of all compulsory
charges, deserves the congratulations and thanks
of the inhabitants of the Districts concerned.
During the past year the cases admitted
from this district were only eight, being six Scarlatina,
one Diphtheria and one Erysipelas. There
was only one death. Four cases which were admitted
under observation proved to be not notifiable.
The following table shews admissions since
we acquired the right to send patients:—
n