The standard hospital bed is a single bed, six feet and six inches long, three feet wide, and twenty-six inches from the floor, made of steel or enameled iron tubing which does not harbor bedbugs. It is simple, free from decoration, knobs or angles, light, easily moved, convenient to handle, easily cleansed and disinfected, an possesses strength and durability. The height and size while not always comfortable to the patient are convenient to the nurse and doctor in the care of the patient. The castors are made of hard rubber or hard rubber tire, and are an important factor in moving the bed without jarring the patient. The springs are usually the national or woven wire which are the most durable and sanitary.
(Text from The Principles and Practice of Nursing - Bertha Harmer, B.Sc., RN, (c) 1922. Photo of a ca. 1947 ward from the RGH Photograph Collection)