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Before nhs

P

philbee

birmingham born and bred
I have a query as to how people were transported to hospital in an emergency in the days before nhs ambulances, i have a relative that having drunk caustic soda from an unmarked bottle her family took her to the doctors but were advised to take her to hospital which she was but unfortunatley died the next day aged 2yrs old what facilities were available at the time?
phil
 
Whatever was available I think Phil, there wasn't an organised system as far as I know, unless it was an arranged deal with the hospital
Sue
 
The 1925 Public Health Act made provisions for an ambulance service and for transport of non urgent cases. In 1937 the 999 emergency number was introduced.
 
There were ambulances both horse drawn and motorised used during The Great War, these were usually a very basic conversion of a lorry or van, these continued to be used after the war, when hospitals, fire and police departments would operate them although, I'm sure in an emergency any form of transport would have been used.

Colin
 
One of my Mum's older sister's died of almost the very same thing, Doris was 2 and drank diluted Jeyes fluid, which had been left under the sink and it's thought she mistook it for milk. That was in 1915 and as Mum wasn't born until 1926 this is what she was told; apparently her Mum was paranoid about such things afterwards.

She has never mentioned how they got to hospital and sadly has very little (reliable) memory now so I'll never know.

Mum also had another sister, Lavinia, who died in 1921 aged 12 after she was admitted to Hospital (appendicitis), she recovered from the appendicitis, but caught pneumonia and died after her bed was pushed onto the balcony so she could get some fresh air!

bewdley
 
I seem to remember that the "St Johns ", supplied ambulances and first aiders, but I believe that ALL Doctors Had to attend emergences. and could order an ambulance.paul
 
I am involved in ambulance heritage and history.Prior to the formation of the health service in 1948, three organisations provided ambulance transport in Birmingham.There was a service provided by the St Johns, street accidents [now termed rtc's] were dealt with by the police,and a further organisation was the Birmingham Hospital Contributory Association [BHCA] which I believe is now the Saturday Hospital Fund. The vehicles used were absorbed into the newly formed Birmingham Fire and Ambulance Service.My father was a fireman at the time and used to man the ambulances. 205 mal
 
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