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38 Parish of St. George the Martyr, Soutlnvark.
The Public Health Act, so far, at least, as disinfection is concerned, does not
therefore apply, as in the case of private houses to " shelters," the very places which
most require supervision and regulation by the sanitary officers.
Mr. Justice Wills said "the case was clearly one in which the Act ought to apply,
but does not." On the other hand, Mr. Fowler, president of the Local Government
Board, in answer to a question in the House of Commons, stated that the shelters
were under the control of the Medical Officers of Health, and that if entry were
refused these officers could gain admission on a magistrate's order.
The importance of the subject treated of in the late appeal, which is considerable
and far-reaching in its effects, has caused me to report somewhat frequently to your
Vestry on the spread of small-pox in and from the Blackfriars Shelter, and also on
its general management.
In view of the recent judicial decision, and of the large amount of small-pox in
London, as well as in the country, and, in the face of the more than probable increase
of the complaint during the coming winter and spring (when small-pox is generally
most rife), and of the proved spread of the disease by tramps, 4,000 of which class
are nightly harboured in the unregulated metropolitan Salvation shelters alone, it is
time, I think, for Parliament to repair a flagrant omission in the law, which, until
amended, will continue to form a standing menace to the public health.
The remedy I have to offer for the evil is that suggested at the commencement of
the small-pox epidemic in 1892, when I advised that the best interests of both Salvationists
and of the public would be served by the legislature promptly placing the
managers of shelters under restrictions similar to those which apply to keepers of
common lodging houses.
Resolution passed by Vestry with regard to the fourth Special Report presented to
the Vestry on December 19th, 1893, Resolved:—
"That the attention of the President of the Local Government Board be
called to a report of Dr. F. J. Waldo, the Medical Officer of Health for
this Parish, on the subject of ' The Southwark Salvation Army Shelter,
and the spread of small-pox,' and particularly to that portion of the
report urging the necessity for further legislation for night shelters."