“Iron Lung” For Hospital – Decision at Conlsborough Meeting

September 1938

Mexborough and Swinton Times September 23, 1938

“Iron Lung” For Hospital
Decision at Conlsborough Meeting
Mexborough’s Clean – Health Bill

The Doncaster and Mexborough Joint Hospital Board decided on Wednesday to purchase an “iron lung” for the hospital. The Chairman (Mr. O. S. Bowden), the Medical Superintendent (Mr. W. J. McClure), and the Clerk (Mr. R. Bowers) were given power to make the purchase with the least possible delay.

The Clerk, who introduced the subject, said that the Doncaster R.D.C. had passed a resolution, recommending that the Hospital Board should take into consideration the purchase of an “iron ‘lung” for the use of the constituent authorities in its area. The Thorne R.D.C. had already given consideration to this matter, he added, and had applied to the Ministry of Health for permission to make a purchase. The Ministry, in reply, had referred the Council to the County Council and he now understood that the Council were giving the matter their consideration. He thought the Board might like to postpone a decision until they knew what action the County Council were going to take in the matter.

Mr. G. O. Randerson thought that the Board ought to go on with the matter immediately .In spite of what the Clerk had said, he thought that the Board ought to submit its decision to the County or the Ministry of Health, so- that requests could he considered together.

Di. McClure suggested that it would be better first to enquire from the County-Council how many “iron lungs” and of what type, they intended purchasing and to what areas they were to be allotted. The Chairman agreed with Mr. Randerson that it would be better for the Board to possess a ” lung” of its own. These devices, he said, were doing a lot of wonderful work and he thought it was up to that institution to keep up to date. Mrs. Ringrose (Bentley) said that the Board would have the full support of her council in purchasing an “iron lung,” and Mr. A. Robinson (Conisborough) and. Mr. A. Shaw (Mexborough) pledged similar support on behalf of their councils.

The Medical Superintendent said that a “lung” would cost at the outside £100, and the Clerk said that this could be met out of the revenue account, so that application for the borrowing of money would not be necessary,

Mr. Randerson pointed out that there was therefore no need to consult the County Council on the subject and it was unanimously decided to make the purchase without having recourse to the County Council.

The Board accepted a recommendation that a new ambulance should also be purchased, and they considered 12 application for the post of head gardener at the Isolation Hospital, selecting four for interview.

The Medical Superintendent reported that there had been 31 admissions to the hospital during August, 8 of scarlet fever, 19 of diphtheria, 3 of enteric and 1 of infantile paralysis. There were 2 cases of diphtheria and 1 of infantile paralysis. From Conisbrough, and no cases at all from Mexborough.