Shanghai, 22nd July, 1901.
Dear Sir,—The number of patients treated far surgical and general medical cases at the General Hospital now, as compared with ten or more years ago, renders the question of isolation of infectious cases there, one of much greater and increasing importance. When the hospital is full, and as it has been during the past year overcrowded, as this increase in numbers is and cannot be accompanied by a proportionate increase in space accommodation, the risk from infectious cases admitted becomes greatly increased.
It is obvious with our present accommodation, and with the addition of any even of those changes that have been recently projected, whilst we may be able to effectively with nou-infectious cases, we cannot continue to cope efficiently with the demand for proper isolation of infectious cases, both in relation to the surrounding district, and to the other inmates of the hospital.
I therefore propose that the Governors should draw the attention of the Municipal Councils to this matter, pointing out that whilst the present provision for infectious cases can be continued for a short period longer, the time may at any moment come, when the accommodation of the General Hospital will not suffice for these cases, but, it may be necessary to refuse them admission not only for this want of accommodation, but also in the interests of the other patients. I seems only fair that some such intimation should now be given to the Councils, so that thus warned they may be able to make timely provision for the proper isolation of infectious cases among foreigners, unless the Governors themselves are prepared to make such provision, which, understand, they do not contemplate.
T would also point out thatthe hospital is provided with neither the accommodation, nor with the nursing staff large enough, (qualified for or intended to deal with mental cases, and for these reasons their admission to the hospital is and has, to my knowledge, for more than twenty years been given under protest of the medical and nursing stof Etiici ion for them is an urgent need, gat present to be usually consigned to H.B.M. yad, hardly a fit place for t Uysick. "The attention of the Cow ight be with advantage directed to this point also by the Governors.
Tam, Yours faithfully N. Mactxun.
J. D. Tuorners, s4., Secretary, General Hospital.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.