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39
the suggestions that had been made was one that the Medical
Officer of Health should be required to confirm the diagnosis in
eacli case.
The Hospitals Committee of the Asylums Board to whom
the circular letter was referred submitted the following report,
which was adopted by the Board and forwarded to the
Metropolitan Borough Councils: —
"As regards the financial statement the Holborn
"Borough Council seems to have been misled. The
"Accountant of the Board has estimated that the extra cost
"to which the Board has been put by the admission of these
"patients would not exceed an average sum of £3,200 per
"annum.
"As regards the matter which it is proposed to discuss,
"it is undeniable that in the earlier stages of many cases of
"infectious disorder there can be no absolute certainty of
"diagnosis, and that to detain at home every patient until
"such certainty is obtained must frequently result in the
"spread of infection, the prevention of which is the primary
"object of the Board's hospitals.
"It must, therefore, be always preferable to remove a
"doubtful case than to leave it outside with the danger of
"infecting others, which if done would of necessity increase
"the number of admissions and thus cause a very consider"able
expenditure of the rates.
"The business of the Managers is to receive cases which
"are certified by a qualified practitioner, provide proper
"accommodation, and then leave them in the experienced
"hands of the Medical Superintendents.
"In our opinion the Managers would be going quite
"beyond the scope of their functions if they took any step
"which would have the effect of discouraging medical
"practitioners from freely exercising their judgment in
"seeking for their patients admission to the Board's
"hospitals.
c 1