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53
and various actions were taken in behalf of general efficiency in
these respects. A Conference of the Metropolitan Sanitary
Authorities, held on February 7th in the Board Room of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board, covered the ground exhaustively, and,
in the main, in a manner similar to the Finsbury Council decisions,
although, of course, there would be some differences of opinion.
The result of the Conference may be given in the following
resolutions which were passed, such resolutions putting in concrete
form the opinions arrived at by the majority of Metropolitan
Sanitary Authorities as the result of experience gained in the
epidemic, in so far as it had, at that date, progressed :—
1. "That, in the opinion of the Conference, the powers and
duties at present vested in Guardians of the Poor with regard to
vaccination and re-vaccination, should be transferred to, and enforced
by, Borough Councils."
2. " That, in the opinion of the Conference, an amendment of
the law is necessary, to ensure compulsory vaccination and revaccination
of all persons in a dwelling-house wherein small-pox has
broken out."
3. " That, in the opinion of the Conference, it should be declared
an offence, under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to refuse or
withhold information, or give false information, with respect to
persons living in a house in which small-pox has broken out, with
regard to (a) their names, (t) employment or occupation, (c) schools
attended by their children, or (d) as to any persons not living in such
house, but employed therein."
4. " That, in the opinion of the Conference, all disinfections
should be carried out by the Sanitary Authority."
5. " That, in the opinion of the Conference, the provisions of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, with regard to the prevention of
infectious diseases, require amendment by (a) shortening the period
of twenty-four hours, allowed by Section 60, for the master of a house
to decide whether he will undertake the disinfection or allow the
Sanitary Authority to do so, and (b) extending the provisions of
Section 64 to the taking of any house, or part of a house, by a person
suffering from an infectious disease, or who has been exposed to
infection."