HH62/2/LANARK/54

Transcription

[Page] 53

villages of Harthill, Benhar, Northrigg, and Eastfield,
would, however, be considerably beyond six miles, in some
instances as much as ten miles by road.

3. - AIRDRIE, 68 beds, 53,000 population.
Such a hospital would provide accommodation for the
parishes of New Monkland, Old Monkland, and part of
Bothwell.
New Monkland, --- 14,608
Old Monkland, --- 14,736
Bothwell (portion), --- 23,419
[Total] --- 52,763
Over 80 per cent. of this population would be within
five miles of the hospital, but there would remain some-
thing like 8,000, chiefly at Longrigg, Longriggend, Rough-
rigg, and other mining villages separated from the hospital
by a distance of seven or eight miles.
The advantages of large hospitals over small ones are
so obvious as to scarcely require enumeration. They are -
(a) Less cost per bed.
(b) Less cost for accessories, as laundry, disinfecting
stove, &c.
(c) Proportionately smaller expense for management
and nursing, and maintenance of patients.
(d) Greater efficiency, as allowing of a more per-
manent and thoroughly equipped staff.
The one great disadvantage is the greater distance from
parts of the district in urgent need of hospital accom-
modation. With well-constructed ambulances it is, perhaps,
possible to convey the majority of patients a distance of
eight, or even ten miles, although in even a moderately
severe case of typhoid fever, I would not take the respon-
sibility of removing a patient as far as eight miles.
With human nature as it is, the removal of a patient
to a hospital situated a considerable distance from home,
and to a locality comparatively unknown to them, is always
a severe trial to the relatives. This sentiment, if we may
call it so, appeals to every one, and certainly not least to
those who, like myself, have had frequent occasion to
prevail upon parents to allow young children to be
taken from under their own care. When the hospital is
situated in the neighbourhood, and at a place where it

[Page] 54

can be conveniently visited, then it becomes much easier
to accomplish the removal of patients.
This, of course, tells very strongly in favour of establish-
ing a number of small hospitals.
The whole subject is one of so much importance,
involving as it does an expenditure of a large sum
of money, and what is of greater importance, the
safety of the public health and the comfort and care of
the sick, that I am extremely anxious to have the subject
fully and carefully thought out before committing our-
selves to any scheme; and, for this reason, I do not
regret the apparent delay which has taken place in
coming to a definite decision.
It is for this reason also that I venture to go beyond
the terms of the remit, and to offer for your consideration
a third scheme which may commend itself to you, as
embodying the best features of the other two. This is
the establishment of one large central hospital and three
small hospitals.
It is, I think, apparent that such places as Strathaven
and adjoining villages, Longriggend and Roughrigg, and
practically the whole of Shotts, are too far removed to
allow of patients being conveyed to central hospitals.
For them I would therefore suggest an arrangement as
follows:-
1. A hospital near Glasford Station, containing 14 beds
for a population of 10,000, made up as follows -
Avondale, --- 5,069 population.
Glasford, --- 1,317 population.
Stonehouse, --- 3,400 population.
[Total] --- 9,786 population.
2. A hospital between Shotts Station and Harthill,
containing 16 beds for a population of 13,000, viz.,
nearly the whole of Shotts parish and a portion of
the parish of Cambusnethan.
3. A hospital near Greengairs, or other convenient
place for the mining villages in that part of New
Monkland parish, containing 16 beds for a popu-
lation of about 12,000.
4. A large central hospital, situated near Hamilton or
Motherwell, containing from 100 to 140 beds for
the rest of the Middle Ward.