View report page

for Surbiton, Esher and The Dittons, and Maiden,
there are nothing like beds in that proportion. The
matter is largely one of finance, and not absolutely
one of necessity, for as long as there is a surplus of
beds at neighbouring hospitals and that a continuance
of the accommodation can be reasonably
relied upon, it is mainly a question of cost and, as
far as I have been able to gather, the cost per case
per week at the outlying hospitals is less than the
cost would be in maintaining a larger hospital, with
an increased staff and interest and sinking fund
charges to meet. It should be borne in mind that
the idea cannot be entertained of adding sufficient
beds to meet an outbreak, and that surplus cases
would, under such circumstances, still have to be
provided for elsewhere.
In any event, in my opinion, it is of real
necessity that at least two, or even more, singlebedded
observation wards should be provided, so
that doubtful cases of either Scarlet Fever or Diphtheria
could be at once removed and isolated from
their surroundings, and I say distinctly, as a result
of my investigations, that had such been available in
this recent outbreak, a considerable number of cases
would in every probability never have occurred at
all, and a saving of from £12 to £20 in each case
would have been made. If this be so, it is not at all
unreasonable to suppose that 20 out of the 39 Hook
cases might not have arisen, and 20 cases with a
minimum of from 6 to 7 weeks at £3 a week would
13