FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - At the meeting of the Northallerton Rural Council, Mr Yeoman touched on the Joint Isolation Hospital, pointing out that the Local Government Board Inspector strongly recommended the council to purchase an ambulance. It would cost £120. The inspector estimated £80. - The chairman: Is it a horse ambulance? - Mr Yeoman: Yes. He added that the inspector pointed out that the old cab used was lined with cloth, dangerous for retaining and spreading infection, whereas a proper ambulance would be easily disinfected. It was resolved that the Hospital Joint Committee consider the question.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Light snow in small flakes which began to fall in Thirsk on Wednesday morning was the prelude to much heavier falls which began later in the day and continued intermittently throughout Thursday. On Thursday night, there was a hard frost and many commercial travellers were glad to seek shelter in Thirsk's hotels. Sutton Bank was officially listed as impassable on Thursday morning and many other roads were difficult for drivers with layers of snow over ice. While it brought dislocation and discomfort, the snow also brought a great joy to children, and Pudding Pie Hill at Sowerby was black with boys and girls, and adults, for as long as the light lasted.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Two ever present shortages in Britain today - those of geriatric beds in our hospitals and of fully trained nurses - came up for discussion at a meeting of Darlington Community Health Council on Tuesday. Coun E Close expressed great concern at the lack of beds for geriatric patients at the Richardson Hospital in Barnard Castle. At the present time he said there were no available geriatric beds at the hospital. People seemed to have to have a much greater threshold of need before being accepted as patients he said, and the situation was deteriorating all the time. So many old people were left on their own, he said, a position that would never have happened a generation ago. Mr G Nichol, District Nursing Officer, said there was still a shortage of qualified nursing staff and a plan to launch a training course in Darlington was being considered to attract people to the profession.