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On the 4th November 1895 the Public Health Committee were
advised that the Council had no observations to make upon the
plans; and with regard to the loan the Council were advised that
the Sanitary Authorities had no power to borrow money for the
purpose of providing such buildings, but that legislation would be
promoted to enable money to be raised for such a purpose.
The subject of the advisability of including measles among the
notifiable infectious diseases was again brought before the Vestry
upon the consideration of a letter from the Vestry of St. George-theMartyr.
The Vestry decided on the 24th July 1895 against such
proposed inclusion—on the grounds of (1) the early infectious
nature of the disease; (2) the inability under ordinary conditions
of isolating the patient; and (3) the want of hospital accommodation
when isolation is impossible in the home. The Vestry thus
recapitulated the reasons given for its previous similar decision in
July 1892, in response to a circular from the London County Council
(see Annual Report for 1892-3, page 41).
Attention being called to an outbreak of small-pox in the shelters
of the Salvation Army in the Whitechapel district, the Vestry
resolved on the 2nd October 1895:—
That the Vestry concur in the views expressed in the letters received from
the Whitechapel District Board and the Wandsworth and Clapham
Union, viz. that all shelters, including Salvation Array Shelters,
should be placed under the provisions of the Common Lodging Houses
Act; and that a letter be sent to the Local Government Board urging
that Board to promote legislation for effecting this object.
The hospital accommodation at the disposal of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board being strained to the utmost, the Board inquired in
November 1895 if the Vestry knew of any unoccupied premises in
the parish which might be likely to serve as additional accommodation
for fever and diphtheria patients: but after the matter had
been considered by the Public Health Committee the Vestry was
compelled to reply in the negative.
A proposal to place the sanitary offices in telephonic communication
with the Asylums Board was rejected by the Vestry on the
11th December 1895, the Medical Officer having reported that it
would be of little use, as in times of epidemic, when repeated