The Story of a Hospital

By Wilfrid Edgecombe, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S.

The history of the Harrogate and District General Hospital

An uncertain future

Owing, happily, however, to the remarkable decline in the incidence of infectious disease over the whole country, notably of diphtheria, which has almost entirely been abolished, Thistle Hill now admits "paediatric" cases, ie, children's diseases, convalescent from the General Hospital. The future use of the hospital is uncertain. It is possible that the decision may be made to concentrate all infectious diseases to some other general centre, in which case Thistle Hill might be available for the admission also of "geriatric" cases (the diseases of the elderly) for the accommodation of whom there is a great and universal demand, and for convalescent cases from the Harrogate General Hospital. Following on a recommendation by a committee appointed to study the question of case-to­case infection within the hospital, known as the Cross Infection Committee, it was decided to build cubicles in the children's ward for the isolation of suspected cases and for patients requiring special nursing. Six of these were built, walled with glass for observation purposes, at a cost of £698, and have proved of great service. It is contemplated to construct one similar cubicle in Ward II and in Huts B and C, and possibly later on in other wards.

The need for a covered way from the main corridor of the hospital to the hutted wards was urgently stressed to avoid the necessity of transporting patients across the open courtyard, particularly undesirable in wet and cold weather. This was ultimately effected at a cost of £1,650.