Annual report : 1939 / Chelsea Hospital for Women.

  • Chelsea Hospital for Women (London, England)
Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1939 / Chelsea Hospital for Women. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    48/114 page 38
    Report of the Registrar and Radium Officer, 1939. In spite of the difficult circumstances, the work of the Hospital was well maintained during the year. 1,570 patients were admitted to Hospital and 2,587 new cases seen in the Out- Patient Department. Early in the year the Hospital joined the Emergency Hospital Service, as a grade A.l hospital. On instructions from the Ministry of Health, an almost complete evacuation of the hospital was carried out on September 1st, so that, on the outbreak of war, all preparations had been made for the hospital to fulfil its obligations. The necessary drugs and supplies were obtained, and certain A.R.P. measures carried out, including strengthening part of the basement, provision of an emergency operating theatre, erection of a protective screen in the main operating theatre, and the sandbagging of vital positions. In spite of the disturbance caused as a result of the out¬ patient department being taken over as a first-aid and decon¬ tamination post by the Borough of Chelsea, and the absence of most of the members of the Honorary Medical Staff, the daily out-patient clinics were carried on, as usual, without any interrup¬ tion. Within a fortnight, urgent gynaecological cases were being admitted for operation and treatment with the full approval of the Sector Commander. After the first few weeks of the war, a large proportion of the Honorary Medical Staff were able to return, and the work of the Hospital has been continued, as far as possible, on the usual lines. A certain number of beds are permanentlv ready for the immediate admission of air-raid casualties. Of the 14 deaths in Hospital during the year, four were due to pulmonary embolism, but, for various reasons, none of these cases had the full post-operative breathing exercises and massage.
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