A INTRODUCTION
23
The catchment areas of the unit are the Birmingham region and part of the Manchester
and Welsh regions. Oswestry being a 500 bed specialized orthopaedic hospital has its
own physiotherapy school, and students carry out much of the day to day physiotherapy
under the direction of a supervisor who is attached to the Spinal Unit. There is a heated
swimming pool in which regular classes are held for paraplegics. There is also a well-
equipped occupational therapy department for wood-working and metal-working tools
as well as lighter crafts, and electric typewriters are available and put into much use by
tetraplegics. A senior Occupational Therapist devotes all her time to the Spinal Unit
and directs the activities of students who are seconded to Oswestry from the O.T. School,
Dorset House, Oxford. Art therapy is also available which has proved most valuable for
the paralysed. The establishment of an Industrial Rehabilitation Unit adjoining the
hospital has been planned but not yet materialized. Sport is also included in the rehabili–
tation treatment of the paralysed and the Unit participates in the annual Stoke Mandeville
Games.
The Unit has the full time services of a Medical Social Worker who at an early stage
secures co-operation of the local authorities, medical and welfare departments to facilitate
the domestic and industrial resettlement of the patients.
SPINAL UNIT AT PINDERFIELD HOSPITAL, WAKEFIELD
This, the second Spinal Injuries Unit for Yorkshire started in 1954 and has a complement
of 30 beds. The unit is attached to the Department of Neurology and Dr J.B.Cook, M.D.,
F.R.C.P., who also holds the post of Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at Leeds University
and Postgraduate Clinical Tutor, is the Consultant Neurologist in charge of the unit.
There is both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on the unit, and the unit is
also involved in the training scheme for Senior Registrars, Orthopaedic and Urological
Surgeons. The unit also has a Research Assistant concerned with the investigation of
bladder function. Specialized equipment for renal function such as isotope scanning and
renal flow estimation are available.
Most traumatic paraplegics are admitted within 48 hours and are sent directly to the
Spinal Unit. From 1960-69 altogether 527 patients were admitted (145 new cases),
amongst them 62 coal miners (Wakefield is also situated in a coal-mining area).
SOUTHPORT SPINAL UNIT AT PROMENADE HOSPITAL
This is the Liverpool Regional Paraplegic Centre, a unit of 34 beds (30 male and 4 female)
which was opened in 1947. Until 1965 Dr Damanski, an urological surgeon, was in charge
of the unit with Mr Osborne, F.R.C.S., orthopaedic surgeon, Mr SutclifTe Kerr, F.R.C.S.,
neurosurgeon, Mr Maisels, F.R.C.S., plastic surgeon, Mr Cosbie Ross, F.R.C.S., and Mr
Gibbon, F.R.C.S., urological surgeons, all acting as visiting consultants. After Dr Daman-
ski's retirement, Dr J. Silver, M.R.C.P.E., former registrar and senior research assistant
at Stoke Mandeville, took over but returned to Stoke Mandeville in 1970 as a Consultant
in Paraplegia and was replaced by Dr Krishnan, F.R.C.S., neurosurgeon and a former
trainee at Stoke Mandeville.
