Annual report : 1945 / Central London Ophthalmic Hospital.

Central London Ophthalmic Hospital.

Date:: 1945

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report : 1945 / Central London Ophthalmic Hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

11/26 (page 5)

ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT For the Year ended 31st December, 1945 The Council of Management have pleasure in submitting their Report to the Governors for the year 1945. The Work of the Hospital The number of new out-patients seen during the year was 15,134, a number which has never before been reached in the Hospital's 102 years of existence. This is all the more satisfactory when it is remembered that the Hospital suffered severely from a rocket bomb attack in February, 1945. The comparative statistics for all main branches of the work are as follows :— 1945 1944 1938 In-Patients Admitted ... 598 417 999 Average No. of Patients resident daily ... New Out-Patients Out-Patients' attendances Casual!v Patients 23.26 18.53 15,134 14,357 42,213 37,339 2,334 3,070 35.42 14,912 45,628 3,081 War Damage As indicated above, on Friday, February 9th, 1945, the Hospital suffered severely from the explosion of a rocket bomb within a distance of fifty yards from the building. The Hospital was fortunate in that no patients were hurt, although several members of the Staff received minor injuries, of whom only two (Sister Hammonds and Miss Chambers) required Hospital treatment. In spite of shattered windows and doors and the handicap of considerable debris, first aid treatment was immediately given to some forty casualties from outside before they were referred to other Hospitals. The Council of Management desire to record their appreciation of the cool behaviour of all members of the Staff of the Hospital in what was a most dangerous and trying situation. Speed}/ assistance was given to the Hospital by the Ministry of Health and the Special Repair Squad of the Ministry of Works, to such good effect that the Hospital was able to resume treatment of out-patients on the following Monday, and resumed the admission of in-patients a month later. It is with pleasure that the Council announce that, during the year, the necessary repairs to the Hospital have been carried out so as to restore, as nearly as possible, its normal condition.