A number of records in hospital service were broken in 1938, as revealed in the Annual Census of Hospitals just completed. The number of registered hospitals increased over that of the previous year for the first time in eight years; births in hospitals went over the million mark; the number of beds increased 36,832, a figure well above the average annual increase of 24,677 beds a year for thirty years, from 1909 to 1938 inclusive. Hospitals admitted patients in 1938 at the rate of one every 3.3 seconds. There are 6,166 hospitals, 1,161,380 beds, 56,747 bassinets, 1,026,771 births, 965,706 average census and 9,421,075 patients admitted. In addition to the 6,166 hospitals registered, 136 are opened and their registration is pending, sixty-sevenare under construction and 185 are planned and being developed. The rate of growth in registered hospitals was equivalent to one hospital of 101 beds for each day in