Some Facts and Statistics

• Joseph Thomas — Carious bones in foot ... ...  6 months.
• John Davies — Fractured leg   ... ...     ...  5 months.
• Ann Lawrence — Dislocated shoulder   ...  ...  5 months.

A hospital in Ellesmere Port was first suggested in 1896 but didn't open until 1919.

Surgery up to the mid 19th Century: Operating procedure was barbaric. Speed was essential - a surgeon’s reputation was based "seconds to amputate". Anaesthetics and antiseptics were unknown. Surgery was limited mainly to-
amputations of limbs; removal of growths; removal of stones from the bladder; trepanning skulls;opening abscesses.

Infection followed operations almost as a matter of course and the dread scourge ‘hospital gangrene’ spread from one ward to another  like wildfire. Anaesthetics were unknown until 1842.

Death Rates after surgery aound a 100 years ago:-

• between the years 1869 and 1873 there were seventy-three surgical operations at Chester Infirmary as a result of which seven of the patients died.
• 1905  there were 393 operations with thirty-three deaths and of these 393 operations, 50 would not  have been thought of in 1873.

1940.  - Patients Admitted during each of the last Six Years.

In 1956..........

• 40 consultative clinics covering all specialities and involving an annual attendance of some 125,000 are held weekly in the out-patient department;
• 4,518 patients were  admitted
• 4,832 operations carried out during 1955.
• A staff of 380 of all categories and grades  work within its walls
• gross revenue expenditure for the last financial year was £210,000.
• approximately 100 operations are performed in one week and the mortality rate as a direct result of operative procedure "is nil".

April 1991 to March 1992 - 6,056 listed operations  were performed,  571 emergency operations = total of 6,621 operations at Chester Royal Infirmary.

1993 - Orthopaedic Department  27,363 outpatients pa at Chester Royal Informary.