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124
The committee submitted the report of the sub-committee,
with slight modifications, which included the excision
of the words "all practicable" in par. 5, and the whole of
par. 6.* The report was adopted by your Vestry, and remitted
to the committee to "draw up a detailed scheme for
giving effect to the suggestions embodied therein." The
matter thus came again to the sub-committee, at whose request
I stated my views as to the action that should be taken
by your Vestry.† Briefly, I advised the preparation of a leaflet
for circulation amongst persons likely to be interested in the
subject, as, for instance, medical practitioners, nurses, clergymen,
district visitors, heads of schools, &c. I stated that disinfection
of houses, at the cost of the Vestry, would be
required in from 200 to 300 cases annually; after death
from consumption, or of removal of consumptives from
one abode to another. A system of voluntary notification by
doctors was suggested, to secure information of such
cases. The cost of disinfection, at the house, and at the
station, was estimated at one pound per case; and it was
intimated that if this work were undertaken, "further assistance
would be necessary in the disinfecting department," I
expressed the hope that, in addition to such measures, every
effort would be made to secure what the sub-committee
recognized to be necessary, viz.—"Enforcement of the provisions
of sanitary law for the prevention of overcrowding, and
the abatement of nuisances generally, so as to secure healthy
homes for the lower classes." My report concluded with the
statement that, "The great reduction in mortality from
tuberculosis within the present reign has been brought about
by the improved sanitation which has characterised the
Victorian era, especially since public health legislation entailed
the appointment of medical officers of health and
inspectors of nuisances to carry out the behests of sanitary
authorities."
* Vide Minutes of the Vestry, March 22nd, 1899, page 1,037.
†Vide Minutes of the Vestry, June 14th, page 204.