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209
VAGRANTS AND THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASE.
The influence of the migratory section of the population
on the spread of infectious disease through the country was
the subject, in July of the present year, of a Conference at the
County Hall of Metropolitan and Provincial Sanitary Authorities,
convened by the London County Council and presided
over by the Chairman of that body. The conference was
called "with a view to considering whether means can be
adopted to prevent the spread of infectious disease" by
vagrants. The resolutions of the conference, at which your
Vestry was represented, were as follows:—
"1. That common shelters which are not subject to the law relating to
common lodging houses should be made subject to such law.
"2. That the local authority should have power to require medical examination
of all persons entering common lodging houses and casual
wards, and that each inmate should on admission have a bath of fresh
water.
''3. That the local authority should have power to order the keeper of a
common lodging house, in which there has been infectious disease, to
refuse fresh admissions for such time as may be required by the
authority.
"4. That the local authority should have power to require the temporary
closing of any common lodging house in which infectious disease has
occurred.
"5. That the local authority should have power to require the detention
of any inmate of a common lodging house or casual ward who may
reasonably be suspected of being liable to convey infectious disease.
"6. That means should be provided for the detention and isolation of any
vagrant found wandering in a public place, if reasonably suspected of
being liable to convey infectious disease.
"7. That the local authority should have power to require the disinfection
of the person and clothing of any person in a common lodging house
or casual ward, whether infected or exposed to infection.
"8. That arrangements should be made by which the occurrence of
infectious disease in common lodging houses or casual wards should be
made known by the local authority of the district to the local authorities
of other districts.
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