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89
Midwives Act, 1902.
(Special Report by the Medical Officer of Health).
The London County Council is the Authority for carrying out
the duties imposed by the Act; but, by Section 9, power is given
to the London County Council to delegate all, or some, of such
duties to the Metropolitan Borough Councils. The chief object
to be attained by the Act is the securing, within the different
Metropolitan Boroughs, of proper attention for women during
their lying-in periods, and the prevention of the recurrence of
blood-poisoning, or, as it is called, puerperal fever, which is a
notifiable infectious disease. The Metropolitan Borough Councils,
and not the London County Council, except in default of a
Borough Council, are the Sanitary Authorities for the carrying
out of the duties connected with the notification and prevention
of all infectious diseases; and it is to the Borough Councils,
and not to the London County Council, that infectious diseases
are required to be notified by Statute. It is clear, therefore,
that the duties arising out of the Midwives Act, 1902, should be
carried out by the Metropolitan Borough Councils, and not by
the London County Council, if the maximum of efficiency of
administration is to be secured.
I advise the General Purposes Committee to recommend the
Council to support the City of Westminster, and to express an
opinion that, should the London County Council decide to
delegate, without restrictions or conditions, their powers, the
Lambeth Borough Council will be prepared to carry out the
Act as regards Lambeth Borough—the costs of so doing (or the
greater portion of such costs) to be refunded to the Borough
Council by the London County Council, as provided in Section
9.
Joseph Priestley,
Medical Officer of Health.
November 29th, 1902.
The Council decided, on December 11th, 1902, "That in the
opinion of the Lambeth Borough Council it is expedient that
the powers and duties of the Midwives Act, 1902, should be
exercised in Lambeth by the Lambeth Borough Council"; and
an intimation to this effect was made to the London County
Council.