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105
Annual Report for 1884, I ventured to express a conviction
that the Managers would, in course of time, recognise the desirableness
of giving effect to my views. That time arrived
in 1888, when the Managers stated their opinion, "that the
conveyance of infectious cases by public vehicles should be
prohibited by law," and expressed willingness to " use the
machinery they possess for the prompt and economical
removal of infectious cases." Having communicated their
altered views to the Local Government Board, the President of
that Board obtained from Parliament the desired powers, in a
section of the Poor Law Act, 1889, which, as already mentioned,
is now incorporated in the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
This Act (section 70) expressly prohibits the conveyance of
any infected person in a public conveyance.
It may not be out of place here to remark that the
present Ambulance system was first suggested by Dr. James
Stevenson, who has recently resigned the appointment of
Medical Officer of Health to the Vestry of Paddington.
In an able report, dated June, 1877, Dr. Stevenson
described the "existing arrangements" in respect of the
vehicles in use; and the mode of horsing, housing, and disinfecting
them, and of the procedure adopted with reference to
the removal of patients above the pauper class. He showed
that the said arrangements were improvident, insanitary, and
inconvenient. The objections to the then state of affairs having
been set out, the policy of establishing an Ambulance Service
under the charge of the Hospital Authorities was advocated.
Dr. Stevenson's recommendations were:—
(1) That neither the Local Authorities nor Boards of
Guardians should any longer be expected to provide
conveyances for the removal of the infectious sick.