Mexborough and Swinton Times October 23, 1936

Conisborough Isolation Hospital
Extensions Likely to cost £40,000

at the monthly meeting of the Doncaster and Mexborough joint hospital board at the Conisborough Isolation Hospital, on Wednesday, a report was received from the Engineer setting out details of engineering installation and renewals which will be required for the proposed additions and for the e existing building at the hospital. The escalating cost of this work would be £18,885.

Mr W Cranfield said that the costs involved for the engineering equipment and the cost of the buildings themselves meant that the total expenditure was likely to be about £40,000, and in view of that he wondered if it would not be advisable to ask the County Council if they had any intentions about the inclusion of the Conisborough Hospital in their scheme for regional hospital control. If not, he wondered whether the expenditure of such an amount would be worthwhile.

Mr Cranfield asked that estimated details of the full costs of the scheme could be supplied to the constituent authorities in order that their respective liabilities might be ascertained.

It was decided that such details with estimates of the obligations should be circulated prior to a full discussion at the next meeting.

Serum for Diphtheria

Mr R Bower (Clerk) reported that he had received no reply from the Ministry of Elves in connection with the Boards request for the Ministries approval of their scheme to ask local medical practitioners to inject serum wherever possible in suspected cases of diphtheria.

The medical Superintendent (Dr WJ McClure) said the Boards request to local authorities had in some cases already borne fruit.

A letter was received asking if the Board would be prepared to receive patients from the RAF station at thrillingly, the communication adding that few cases could be anticipated. All will be conveyed up to the hospital by the RAF transport, and in the event of epidemic arrangements will be made for isolation in the camp itself.

It was decided to accept patients from the camp.

The Clerk said that the question of payment for treatment will depend upon whether the station came under the survey of the Doncaster Rural Council (a constituent authority), or under an outside area.

Air Raid Precautions

Mr W Cranfield refer to the County circular to local authorities regarding air raid precautions, and asked if there had been any suggestion of the co oporation of the hospital and its utilisation.

Dr McClure said he had received no communication, while the Clerk mentioned that he had not had any communication as Clerk to the Board, but had received the circular as Clerk to the Rural Council.

The Medical Superintendents report show that on September 1 there were 63 patients in hospital, 46 suffering from scarlet fever and 17 from diphtheria. During September there were 32 admissions, 15 of scarlet fever and 17 diphtheria. There were 55 discharges, 40 scarlet fever cases and 16 diphtheria. This left 40 patient (21 scarlet fever in 19 diphtheria) in hospital at the end of the month