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After considerable discussion, the following resolutions, submitted on behalf of the
Borough of Holborn, were agreed to :—
(a) 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.
(b) That in the opinion of the Conference, an amendment of the law is necessary,
to ensure compulsory vaccination and rs-vaccination of all persons (who have not been
vaccinated within five years) in a dwelling house wherein small-pox has broken out.
(c) 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, (b) employment or occupation, (c) schools attended by their
children, or (d) as to any persons not living in such house, bat employed therein.
(d) 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.
(e) That, in the opinion of the Conference, all disinfections should be carried out
by the Sanitary Authority.
It was further resolved :—
(/) That, in the opinion of the Conference, it is advisable that application be made
to the Metropolitan Asylums Board to send out, to every Medical Officer of Health in
London, daily lists of small-pox cases only, with age and addresses of patients, as is done
weekly in the case of all infectious diseases.
Upon consideration of a letter addressed by the Council of tlie Metropolitan Borough of
St. Pancras to the President of the Local Government Board, with regard to the steps to be taken
to prevent the spread of small-pox by contact, the following resolution was passed :—
(g) That, in the opinion of the Conference, it is desirable to amend the law by
providing that when a person inhabits any part of a house in which there have been cases
of small-pox, and knowingly associates with other persons without having his own person
and clothes disinfected and cleansed to the satisfaction of the Local Sanitary Authority, he
should be liable to a penalty not exceeding £20.
On consideration of a communication addressed by the Town Clerk of the Royal Borough
of Kensington to the Local Government Board, requesting them to undertake the supply of lymph
to any registered Medical Practitioner who may apply for the same, instead of to Public
Vaccinators only, the Conference unanimously approved the suggestion.
resolutions as to vaccination adopted by the incorporated society
op medical officers of health.
In view of a new Vaccination Act, suggested amendments were the subject of much consideration
and discussion by the Society of Medical Officers of Health and its various Branches,
and the following were the resolutions adopted by the Society :—
" 1. It is expedient, in the interests of children as well as of the ommunity at large, that