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28
THE GUARDIANS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
On January 12th, 1915, the Council adopted the Sanitary Committee's
recommendation that the Council do consider a draft agreement, accepting the
payment of 2d. per head of the Census (1911) population, in consideration of the
Council dealing with cases of infectious disease, arising within the district, but
excluding those occurring in the premises of the Edmonton Guardians; the
nfectious diseases being those mentioned in the agreement of nth December,
1912, and the agreement to be determinable by either party on six months'
notice.
On 3rd February, 1915, the Sanitary Committee considered a draft agreement
from the Guardians, sent on January 21st, 1915, and the Council agreed
that four Councillors, the Clerk and the Medical Officer of Health, should
accept an invitation to meet the representatives of Enfield to consider it. On
the 18th the conference took place at Edmonton, and having considered the
Guardians' draft, agreed upon a new draft, embodying what alterations were
necessary in the interests of the two local sanitary authorities. This was
ratified by my Council on 3rd February, except that the amount payable by the
Guardians was to be 2d. per head, not 1d., of the estimated population each
year.
On March 9th the Clerk reported that the Clerk of the Guardians would
not accept the alterations proposed. So my Council gave way and accepted
Mr. Shelton's terms which, of course, are not favourable to the local sanitary
authority ; when an epidemic of infectious disease arises, such as small-pox, the
agreement will prove a very expensive one for us. It was sealed by us on the
13th April and by the Guardians on the 28th April, and came into force on the
6th May.
We thereby undertake, for 2d. per head of our census population, to isolate
and, if necessary, on account of destitution, to maintain persons suffering from
all or any infectious disease, except the inmates of the Edmonton Workhouse
and Infirmary, or any other building provided or maintained by the Guardians.
The usual Charts dealing with scarlet fever, diphtheria, and enteric
fever, based on the uniform plan of a temperature chart, are not published this
year for economy's sake.
In July it was resolved that all notifications requiring attention after 5 p.m.
should be left with the caretaker of the Town Hall; but as this was soon found
impracticable, in September the resolution was rescinded, and it was ordered
that they be sent to the private residences of the M.O.H. or Chief Inspector.
The week-end and public holiday arrangement continues as heretofore.