London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Wandsworth 1887
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]
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| What plan of Notification is in force in your town? | Do you regard yours as the best system of Notification; or what other plan would you prefer ? | Does your plan work without friction with Householders or Medical Practitioners ? | Have many cases occurred in which legal penalties require to be enforced against persons refusing to notify ? | REMARKS. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Compulsory on Practitioner in attendance. | b. Compulsory on Householders. | c. Compulsory on both. | |||||
| MACCLESFIELD (Dk. Bower). | On both | Yes | Almost | Very few | |||
| MANCHESTER (Dr. Leigh). | Compulsory on practitioner | Yes | Yes | None | |||
| NEWCASTLE-upon-TYNE-(Dr. Armstrong). | The compulsory notification by householder is not insisted on when the medical attendant notifies | On both | Yes | No friction | No medical men have been known to refuse to notify. One case of concealment of Small-pox by a householder who had no medical attendant, led to infliction of a fine | ||
| NORWICH (Dr. Crosse). | Compulsory on practitioner | Yes | Yes | None | |||
| NOTTINGHAM (Dr. Whitelegge). | Compulsory on practitioner to notify to householder; and upon householder to forward his notification certificate to M.O.H. | On both | In theory it is a little roundabout; but in practice the practitioner always notifies to me himself, and no time is lost. In the early days it obviated much opposition on the ground of "breach of professional confidence" | Yes | No | ||
| OLDHAM (Dr. Niven). | On both; practitioner receives 2/6 for each case reported | No experience personally of other plans | Plan here works well as regards medical practitioner; as regards householder, not so | Cases have occurred, but no action has been taken | |||
| PORTSMOUTH (Dr. Mumby.) | On both | I think ours is the best, as medical practitioners can tell their patients that it is their business also to notify | Householders rarely notify. No friction with medical practitioners | None; but in 3 years during which the Act has been in force, the Sanitary Authority has called the attention of doctors to the Act and stated that the Act will be enforced | |||
| PRESTON ...... (Dr. Pilkington) | Compulsory on practitioner. Fee 2/6 paid for each certificate | If no practitioner in attendance, compulsory on householder | • • | Yes | Yes | None | •«. |
| READING (Dr. Ashby). | On both | Yes. Practically only the practitioner notifies, but making it compulsory on householders as well, tends to prevent them from neglecting to have medical attendance in cases of infectious disease | Yes | No. | |||
| RIPON (Dr. Kirkley) | • • | On both | Yes, the best | Yes | None | ||
| ROTHERHAM (Dr. Hardwicke). SALFORD (Dr. Tatham). | Yes | No | On both | It answers very well Far the best | Yes Yes | No Not one; notification is becoming more complete and satisfactory yearly | I gladly givo you my evidence in favour of notification as I know it here, after 5 years' experience |
| STAFFORD (Dr. Blumer) | On both | There has been no serious outbreak of infectious disease since our Local Act was passed, so that I am not in a position to give any opinion from practical experience | Yes | As a matter of fact the plan has resolved itself into the practitioner alone notifying. It has not yet been enlorced on householders | |||
| stalybridge | On both | Yes | Yes | None | |||
| SUNDERLAND (Dk. Harris). | On both | I regard the dual system as the best | Yes | One in2½ years | |||
| TORQUAY (Dr. Kahkeek.) | On both | I know of no difficulty | None | ||||
| WARRINGTON (Dr. Gornall). | On both | Prefer compulsory on practitioner; in fact the householder never does notify | Answers admirably; never the slightest imitation | None | |||
| YORK (Dr. North). | Yes; fee 2/6 | Yes; no fee | On both | This is the best plan; notification by househoider is | Yes | None | I believe the whole system works with-out difficulty, though I am a general practitioner. Notification by householders will never be of any value |
DECEMBER, 1887.