Metropolitan workhouse infirmaries, &c. : Copy of the report of Dr. Edward Smith, Poor Law inspector and medical officer to the Poor Law Board, on the Metropolitan Workhouse infirmaries and sick wards / (Viscount Enfield).

Smith, Edward, 1818?-1874.

Date:: 1866

Credit: Metropolitan workhouse infirmaries, &c. : Copy of the report of Dr. Edward Smith, Poor Law inspector and medical officer to the Poor Law Board, on the Metropolitan Workhouse infirmaries and sick wards / (Viscount Enfield). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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$Appendix. St. Mary. Newington. General character of Wards. Bedding- and Furni- ture. The floor space and cubical space allotted to each bed are as follows:— No. of Ward. Class of Inmates, or Purpose to which Appropriated. 1 Floor Space allowed to each Person. Cubical Space allowed to each Person. Infirmary: Sup. feet. Cub. feet. Women’s lying-in ward ------ G4 740 3 Ditto - ditto (convalescent ward) 40 463 15 Women’s sick ward ------- 32 376 4 Ditto - ditto - 45 520 5 Ditto - ditto ------- 45 517 6 Ditto - ditto ------- 40 462 9 Ditto - ditto ------- 41 457 7 Ditto - ditto ------- 46 518 8 - 46 521 10 Men’s sick ward ------- 49 566 11 Ditto - ditto ----- o _ 4G 526 12 Ditto - ditto 46 526 13 Ditto - ditto ....... 45 517 14 Ditto - ditto 46 526 End of Main Building : 1 Female foul ward ....... 50 508 2 Ditto - ditto 36 365 Detached Building : 20 Male foul ward - - - - - 77 806 — Female fever ward ------- 39 515 Detached Building: — Women’s itch ward ------- 69 782 Main Building: 22 Woman’s imbecile ward ------ 49 610 Hence it appears that the usual floor space and cubical space is 32 to G9 superficial feet, and 3G5 to 800 cubic feet, and that out of 20 wards five offer less space than is required by the Poor Law Board. Two provide less than 400 cubic feet. The size and general appearance of the wards in the infirmary is not satisfactory. The wards are universally narrow and small; and many are too small to be practically useful as common wards. There are, for the most part, windows on both sides ; and hence had the dimensions been suitable, they might have been not only light but airy and cheerful. The labour ward is placed on the ground floor, and is entered directly from the passage and door. There are several beds in it, in which those women are placed who await their confinement, and between whom and the woman in labour there is not a sufficient screen. This ward is moreover placed so that the women must be removed from 15 to 20 yards partly along a passage, and on a hard chair, with small and badly running wheels. The lying-in ward, to which the patient is removed after confinement, lias windows on one side onlv, and is not cheerful. The room for venereal cases in connection with the receiving ward is very small and unfit for the sick ; and so is also the male itch ward. The wards in which t.he small-pox cases are now placed, being only temporarily used, do not require special description. The female itch ward was formerly a refractory ward. It is a lean-to, and unfit for the sick. The bedding is of flock, lumpy, and in bad condition. No proper system of teazing it is adopted. The bed-leads are ot iron, and chiefly with sacking bottoms; and in some of the rooms, viz., lying-in room No. 15, No. 9, and No. 22, the most reprehensible practice occurs of placing beds only four feet eight to five feet in length for the use of adults. The furniture throughout is very meagre, and fails to give an air of comfort to the rooms. There are no dressers. The lockers are very small, and made for seats, and, moreover, they are not placed in all the looms. The night chairs are very similar to them in appearance, and are most inconvenient to the old and feeble, who need the support of an arm-chair. The tables are very small and old. Many of the chairs are old, and the number too few. There are small medicine shelves placed to each bed, but not any book-shelves. There are a few screens, also capes and cotton nightgowns. There are no looking-glasses nor bed-trays. A clock is placed on each floor. There are pottery foot-warmers, but deficient in number; and there is a deficiency of bed-pans and urinals for use in bed. There are four sheets to a bed in the infirmary; and round towels are supplied in sufficient quantity. There are three combs to three wards of 27 beds, but complaints are made of want of soap ; and no paper is provided for the water-closet. Mackintosh sheeting has recently been supplied to the labour beds. There are foot baths, but no portable slipper bath. There is cocoa fibre matting /$