Indexed at back. Includes reports of various committees, including Improvement of Funds Committee, Provision and Bill Committee, Financial Committee, Building Committee etc. Also includes, pasted between pp. 273 and 274, report to the President and Governors by the Committee of Governors, February 1900, regarding additional rules and regulations and additions there to (printed with ms amendments).
31 May 1899. A report of a committee appointed to enquire into the abuse of recommendation forms due to recent abuses of the system. The report contains a list of names of patients admitted from 1 Oct 1898 to May 1899 where the recommendation was suspect. The patients are listed by occupation, the majority of which are described as ‘labourer’, ‘domestic servant’ or ‘no listed occupation’. However, other occupations reflect an interesting span of new and old trades.
14 Jun 1899. A complaint from the Life Governor, H.H. Soward, regarding the treatment of a man named Turner, employed by the Star Brewery Co., who was suddenly taken ill with fits and refused admission. He was turned out at 10.30pm ‘without either hat, muffler or coat’ to walk back to Fen Ditton because it was considered that he was shamming.
21 Jun 1899. A report of an investigation into the above complaint. Mr Haynes attended the Board meeting and states that Mr Turner was in a fit, but not unconscious. An electric battery was applied and on recovery he was discharged on Mr Haynes’ order.
28 Jun 1899. The Turner complaint is investigated further, and a conclusion drawn that the treatment and decision to discharge him were correct, but arrangements for getting him home were inadequate.
5 Jul 1899. The circumstances surrounding the admission of the sons of E.H. Lethbridge and Victor Nichols are to be investigated. Mr Nichols, a draper’s son is being operated on for a cleft palate by Mr Wherry and donations are to be sought towards this treatment costs, as well as for those of Lethbridges’s son, whose father sent three guineas as a donation (p.67).
19 Jul 1899. A breakdown of electric lighting over four days. When the light is off ‘the theatre is absolutely useless for there is no other method of illumination’ and urgent operations are postponed. A complaint is sent to the Cambridge Electric Supply Company.
26 Jul 1899. An independent, duplicate, electric mains supply is promised by the Committee.
29 Jul 1899. The committee convened to investigate the problem of abuses in the admission of recommended patients orders for a complete revision of recommending papers to be undertaken. Revised recommendation papers are ordered to be printed and requests for contributions towards treatment from now on are to be routinely made in respect of all borderline cases.
30 Aug 1899. Professor Bradbury applied for the admission of Mr Sunderland of Thaxted, which was agreed.
18 Oct 1899. The secretary is ordered to write to the Mayor’s Corporation requesting them to meet the costs of a large number of typhoid cases admitted to the hospital. The Town Clerk’s reply (pp 167-8) suggests an increase to the Corporation’s subscriptions.
15 Nov 1899. A typewritten report of the sub-committee on the loan of instruments for use outside the hospital recommends rules regarding the length of loans and that loans should be restricted to those within the Borough of Cambridge (see also p.237).
29 Nov 1899. A recommendation that the rules for the retirement age for nurses, and the possibility of pensions be considered by an ad hoc committee.
13 Dec 1899. The ad hoc committee recommends that the retirement age for nurses be 55 years, with any extension allowed only by permission of the Weekly Board (on p. 248 this is changed to 60 years). Nursing staff are to produce a birth certificate, and this information is to be retained by Matron. Five percent of wages from all nursing staff will be paid into a pension fund with the hospital matching the contribution. This rule will be applied to all new nursing staff, and on a voluntary basis for existing staff.
1 Jan 1900. A printed report on the administration and financial position of the Hospital (pp.207-8). The Secretary of State for War asks if the hospital is willing to treat sick and wounded soldiers returning from the Boer War (see also p.245). The Board orders twenty four beds to be made available. The Auxiliary Association for Addenbrooke’s Hospital is thanked for its efforts in getting new subscriptions and arranges for an auditor for their accounts.
17 Jan 1900. ‘In the opinion of the staff there is no sufficient reason for providing direct communication by electric bell or other apparatus between the wards and the House Surgeon’s private rooms.’
17 Jan 1900. ‘In view of the financial situation, the idea of compulsory retirement for nurses should be rejected and each case decided on merit’. It was also ruled as ‘inexpedient’ to establish a pension scheme (but see pp. 329-30)
22 Jan 1900. Printed report states that Baron Peckover, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, offers £400 to initiate an appointment of a Superintendent, at a salary of £150 to £200 per annum, and an Advisory Council of thirty five Governors (see reports pp. 273-4).
14 Mar 1900. A letter signed by six nurses and another signed by thirty probationers expresses dissatisfaction with training, and wishes to make complaints personally and privately to the Board. On enquiry, the grievance concerns two surgical wards, where absence of any teaching made nurses wary of accepting responsible posts. It was agreed that there must be changes to improve teaching.
14 Mar 1900. A letter from Lord Peckover states that he would be willing to contribute £100 towards a nurses’ pension fund. £40 per annum for life granted to the Nurses Newman.
2 Apr 1900. Final bills for the Steam Laundry are passed. It is recommended that the credit balance be handed to Mr MacAlister as an honorarium for acting as architect of this project.
11 Apr 1900. No sister is to be permanently appointed until a pension scheme has been passed.
20 Apr 1900. Arrangements for elections of the Advisory Council.
23 Apr 1900. Professor Allbutt is elected as Physician to the Hospital. Details are given of five elected university members and the election of Borough representatives. An advert for the Superintendent’s post is to be advertised in The Times, The Standard, The Daily News, The Army and Navy Gazette and Cambridge newspapers.
9 May 1900. A printed report recommending a pension scheme.
1 Jun 1900. Recommended that ‘shoots [sic] be constructed from each ward balcony to get rid of all objectionable matter without delay’ [external chutes for laundry and rubbish were used at the Old Addenbrooke’s site until it closed in 1984].
6 Jun 1900. A letter regarding the adaptation of the exterior colonnades of the building for open-air treatment of TB (Mrs Maud Peart having offered to fund the adaptation).
9 Jun 1900. First meeting of the Advisory Council regarding the appointment of a Superintendent. Mr Frank Ellet was recommended to the Quarterly Committee at £150 per annum.
25 Jun 1900. A pension scheme is referred to the new Advisory Committee.
27 Jun 1900. Office accommodation for the new Superintendent is to be provided in Paget Ward
25 Jul 1900. Mr Frank Ellet, the new Superintendent, is introduced to the Board.
1 Aug 1900. A select committee of the House of Commons votes in favour of exemption of hospitals from rates. A patient named Bell is admitted with a case of facial erysipelas.