South Yorkshire Times, September 12, 1942
Montagu Hospital
Gratifying Increase of Income
Retiring Officer’s Medical Report
Mr. A. R. Martin presided at the meeting of the Board of Management on Thursday evening. The Chairman reported that Mrs. Spencer, of Thurnscoe, had been admitted to the Hospital, and it was resolved that best wishes for a speedy recovery be sent to her. He also extended congratulations to an old member of the Board, Mr. B. L. Smith, who will shortly become an octogenarian, and offered congratulations to Mr. W. H. Lewis, the vice-Chairman, on the attainment of his 81st birthday.
A vote of condolence was passed by the Board, members standing, with the family of the late Coun. W. M. Starkey.
Mr. F. H. Harrop, Chairman of the Finance Committee, reported that income for the period, January 1st, to August 31st, 1942, was £18,329 119., compared with £13,672 10s. 2d. for the corresponding period of last year. Expenditure for the same period amounted to £16,918 7s. 5d., as against £15,872 10s. for last year. There was an excess of income over expenditure of £1,411 33. 7d.
It was resolved to place to a reserve fund all income of a non-recurring character and to Invest £5OO received from the charity cricket match and £75 from the Oaks Colliery Explosion Relief Fund, and that the investments be made in 21 per cent. Defence Bonds. Donations received included £5 5s. from the Swinton Old Men’s Retreat, and £500 from the Charity Cricket Committee. It was resolved to recommend that a bed be named in appreciation of the Charity Cricket Committee.
Future Hospital Services.
Reports were given by Mr. Martin, Mr. Fouchard, and the Secretary-Superintendent on the Joint meeting of the British Hospitals Association and the British Hospitals’ Contributory Scheme Association at Leeds on August 28th in connection with an interim report of the Hospital and Contributory Scheme Income Limits Sub-Committee which contains important proposals for the post-war revision of the Medical Health, and Hospital Services of the country.
The Board decided to accept the interim report.
Medical Report.
An Interim Medical Report was submitted by Dr. J. G. Mar, Resident Surgical Officer at the Hospital on leaving to join the staff of the medical school of the University of Edinburgh.
Dr. Mar, in an introduction stated: “As I am leaving my post I feel it is my duty to make a report of the clinical progress of the Hospital, and to include a brief resume of the work during the period of my appointment.” The report states that the greatest increase in work has been in the surgical department, where operative work increased by 28.5 per cent. as compared with the same period last year. In spite of this increase the previously low mortality rate was improved upon. The male surgical ward of 30 beds ran up a remarkable record of four months without a single death.
The percentage of available beds occupied daily reached a new high level of 91.5. one of the highest, if not the highest figure in the country for hospitals of a similar size. The remaining 8.5 per cent. represented by a working margin for beds being filled or vacated or reserved for emergency or maternity cases.
Dr. Mar states that the Blood Bank started last autumn was showing its true value, and in the halfyear period 160 pints of stored blood and blood plasma were used in transfusions.
The report continues: “The recent Barnburgh Main Colliery disaster resulted in an excellent test of our A.R.P. scheme for dealing with casualties. On receiving the warning, wards were rapidly cleared of mobile patients: and operating theatres, warm beds, anti-shock equipment and blood for transfusions were quickly prepared. Specialists in shock therapy and extra surgeons were summoned at once. In actual practice and even in rehearsals, finding the victims, rendering first aid, and conveying them to hospital, usually take some to two hours from the time the bombs are dropped. Yet on this occasion the Shock Unit was ready to receive casualties half an hour from the time word was received of the disaster.”
Dr. Mar mentions that better organisation and co-ordination in the Training School is effecting some improvement in the standard of nursing. He mentions as one of the most significant changes the closure of the children’s ward to visitors. At its introduction this met with considerable opposition, but It was persisted in and they were now able to report that during the last one and half years as compared with a similar proceeding mood, the total quarantine time reduced to one-third and the ward has been completely free from acute Infectious disease for the last eleven months.