South Yorkshire Times, September 19, 1942
Nurses as War Workers
Conisbrough Hospital Board Claim
The question of ‘bus company’s failure to recognise nurses as war workers was discussed at Wednesday’s meeting of Doncaster and Mexborough Joint Hospital Board, Coun. G. Oldfield (Conisbrough) presiding.
Mrs. E Tait pointed out that whereas war workers had no difficulty in getting ‘buses, nurses and members of the Hospital Board found great difficulty, and ‘bus conductresses failed to see that they were just as much on war work as men and women employed in factories.
Coun. J. H. White said that the Hospital Board was an important body, and surely something should be done to enable its members to attend meetings.
Coun. W. Cranfield said the nurses on the staff of the institution were just as necessary to the war effort as any war worker. He moved that the provision of priority badges be left in the hands of the Clerk.
The Hospital Board did not meet in August and there were the following reports on patients admitted during July and August:—
July: Mexborough 12. Conisbrough seven. Denaby two Conanby one, Adwick-le-Street 1, Woodlands 1, Little Owston 1. Bentley three. Moorends one. Rossington three: Edenthorpe one, Askern one. Wadworth one.
August: Mexborough 11. Conisbrough two. Denaby two, Thorne two. Dunscroft one. Moorends two, Hadfield three. Adwick-le-Street three. Skellow two. Woodlands one, Carcroft one, Bentley two, transferred from Balby Road Isolation Hospital two, Kirk sandall one, Askern one, Armthorpe one. Wadworth one, Park’s Farm one
A total of 75 patients were admitted during the two months.
Coun. White said he was perturbed to see that in spite of all that had been done to further immunisation, during July there were eleven cases of diphtheria admitted, from Mexborough not one of which had been immunised Mrs. Tait said credit should be given to Coun White for his efforts in regard to immunisation.
The Board appreciated his interest. Coun. White went on to say he did not know why he of all people should be interested, in public health—(laughter)—but in the past he had seen as ma in as nine or ten children buried in one week as a result of diphtheria The fact that there were not now so many in a year spoke volumes for the higher standard of public health.