Collection THB 22 - King's Cross Hospital

Medical Officer of Health Report

Identity area

Reference code

THB 22

Title

King's Cross Hospital

Date(s)

  • 1875-1998 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

8.8 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

King's Cross Hospital was opened in November 1889 at Clepington Road, Dundee. It was the first permanent fever hospital in Dundee, built by the Town Council for the treatment of infectious diseases, such as typhus, smallpox, diptheria, etc. Prior to this fever patients were admitted to ordinary wards at Dundee Royal Infirmary. However the need for isolation was gradually recognised with the erection of wooden pavilions on the outskirts of Lochee and also on the site of the present King's Cross Hospital for the reception of smallpox and typhus patients between 1867 and 1873. These temporary structures were demolished with the building of King's Cross Hospital. Initially there were only two wards, but by 1913 the hospital had been extended to seven wards plus a variety of ancillary buildings. In 1893 accommodation was built for cases of smallpox, with a small unit for cases of cholera. This became known as Kings Cross Hospital (West). It was used intermittently especially between 1901 and 1905 and on a larger scale in 1927 during an outbreak of variola minor, which necessitated the building of another ward on the site. With the advent of the National Health Service in 1948, the administration of King's Cross Hospital passed from the Local Authority to the newly formed Eastern Regional Hospital Board. The Regional Board decided to centralise the management of infectious disease in King's Cross Hospital and to close the former fever hospitals of Friarton in Perth, Whitehills in Forfar and Little Cairnie in Arbroath. King's Cross thus became a Regional Hospital for Tayside, admitting patients from Dundee, Angus, Perth, Perthshire, Kinross and North Fife. While many bacterial infectious diseases were controlled over the years with the introduction of immunisation and antibiotics, outbreaks of viral illnesses, such as influenza, hepatitis, meningitis and AIDS, as well as diarrhoeal illnesses, such as gastro-enteritis and salmonella, illustrate the changing pattern of infectious diseases. A new Cubicle Isolation Unit (Ward 9), based on a Swedish prototype, was opened on 5th March 1964. In 1979 King's Cross Hospital West, the original smallpox hospital was closed and in 1982 Wards 3,4 and 5 were upgraded to accommodate patients with respiratory disease, and geriatric patients. The construction of a new Out-Patient Department, as well as a Pulmonary Function Laboratory and an extension of the X-ray Department began in 1988. During the 1990s and 2000s many of the hospital's services were transferred to Ninewells Hospital. The hospital now serves as the administrative headquarters of NHS Tayside and also retains various out-patient services including audiology, physiotherapy and x-ray.

Archival history

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Minutes and Charters Incorported 1875, Reports 1901-1972, Patients' Records 1906-1993, Staff Records 1912-1990, Financial Records 1889-c1990, Administration Records c1950-1998, Exhibition Records c 1962, Publications 1925-1989, Photographs (Glass Plate Negatives) c1910-1960. (N.B. A series for Minutes has been allocated as further accruals are expected, however none have yet been received.)

Accruals

Not expected

System of arrangement

Chronologically within Series, unless otherwise stated.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

Conditions governing reproduction

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

2

Related units of description

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

THB 22

Rules and/or conventions used

Description compiled in line with the following standards: International Council on Archives, ISAD(G) General International Standard Archival Description; International Council on Archives, ISAAR(CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families; National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

Status

Catalogued

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places