King's Cross Hospital

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.)

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.

Chronologically within Series, unless otherwise stated.

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The records were deposited by the Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust in 2001 (AccM/441 & AccM/444).

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.

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THB 22