DR. RUTHERFORDTo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that recently a child suffering from scarlet fever was put into a ward used for measles at the hospital belonging to the Brentford District Council, that the child took measles and died, that the sister of the same child, also affected with scarlet fever, was discharged from the hospital before peeling was complete, to the risk of the public, and that the nursing staff for thirty-six cases of infectious disease consisted of an aged woman and her daughter; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) My attention has been called to this matter, and I have been in communication with 1214 the district council with regard to it: I understand that the father of the children made complaint to the council, and that they at once referred the subject of the reorganisation of the hospital to a committee, who discharged the nurse and her daughter and made a temporary appointment of a nurse as superintendent, and directed the medical officer to find two assistant nurses. They also advertised for properly certificated nurses to act as matron and assistant. Subsequently the nursing staff was fixed at one nursing matron and two certificated nurses. When the hospital was first erected it was contemplated that only scarlet fever cases would be treated there; but recently all forms of infectious disease seem to have been admitted, and it has become evident that the hospital must be enlarged. This, I understand, is now being done. I fear that the management of the hospital in the past has not been satisfactory, but, looking to the action taken by the district council since complaint was made to them, I have not thought it necessary to interfere further in the matter.