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and that a Central Authority (uninfluenced, to a similar extent,
by the popular vote) might be able to do this important work more
satisfactorily. This is merely a suggestion, and the unanimous
vote given at a Conference of Metropolitan Borough Councils held
on February 7th, 1902, was in favour of the newly-formed Borough
Councils rising to the occasion and doing the best for the public
good, on the advice of their responsible Medical Advisers, and
uninfluenced by popular feeling. The Borough Councils deserve
to be allowed to try the experiment.
As far as the Lambeth Borough is concerned, the Guardians
have worked in harmony with the Borough Council; but the fact
remains that all preventive measures might, with advantage, from
an efficient administrative point of view, rest with one responsible
Authority, and that Authority the Borough Council, as the Sanitary
Authority, with whom rest all preventive measures with the
sole exception of vaccination.
Conscientious Objectors.
As far as Lambeth Borough is concerned, the conscientious
objectors are practically non-existent, an annual average of 100
certificates having been granted since the introduction of the new
Vaccination Act. Vaccination is, therefore, practically as much
compulsory as ever. Consequently, the Lambeth Borough Council
on March 6th, 1902, decided to take no action in connection with
the suggestion of the Beckenham District Council (supported by
the Wandsworth Borough Council) that " The Local Government
Board be asked to take steps to repeal Section 2 of the Vaccination
Act, 1898." This Act, which was brought in as a 5 years'
experiment, will die a natural death next year (1903), unless reenacted.
Re-vaccination of Workers in Lambeth.
To secure general re-vaccination of workers throughout the workplaces
situated within the Borough, irrespective of the workers being
residents of Lambeth, the Local Government Board was communicated
with by the Medical Officer of Health, as also the Lambeth
Board of Guardians, asking them to give instructions to their
vaccinating officers to vaccinate and re-vaccinate all persons working
in Lambeth workplaces, whether Lambeth residents or not.
The Board of Guardians and the Local Government Board on Jan.
22nd, 1902, gave their consent to such a course, and it was arranged
to pay fees in connection with all re-vaccinations of workpeople
working in Lambeth Borough, irrespective of such workpeople's
places of residence. Article 3of the Local Government
Board's Order to vaccinating officers, dated October 18th, 1898,
is not very explicit on the point, and the action of the two Boards
was most fortunate. In any case, it is a " give and take "arrange-