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'St Bartholomew's Hospital' is a promotional film aimed to raise funds to support the work of this hospital in Rochester in the pre-NHS era. The film gives an overview of 'The Hospital at Work', showing its facilities and departments such as the casualty ward, the operating theatre, the children's ward, and the ophthalmic department. Specific treatments are highlighted such as the hot lamps where "Sunlight is harnessed to fight disease", and laughing gas is used in the dental department. The workings of non-medical departments are also shown such as the laundry department, the kitchens, and the boiler house. The film also includes scenes of industry from around Rochester, showing building work, an aircraft factory, and the harbour and docks. The film’s message is that industrial accidents do happen and because of this the hospital needs public donations. The South East Film and Video Archive has several other pre-NHS hospital films in its collection including film of the 'Princess Alice Memorial Hospital' in Eastbourne (1937-38), and 'The Royal Surrey County Hospital Fundraising Film' (1936-37). A much later film 'A New Way of Caring' (1974) from the Chichester Health Authority focuses on the changes in heath provision since the introduction of the NHS. The archive also has a number of films on residential homes and orphanages such as 'The Southern Railway Servant’s Orphanage at Woking' made in 1928-33 and further film made there in 1950-52, 'Patcham House Special School' (1974) for disabled children in Sussex and 'Murray House' (1976), which is also for people with learning disabilities in Ottershaw, Surrey. |
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