View report page

31
Isolation of Contacts.—The Local Government Board, in February, addressed a circular letter
to the Borough Councils on "Retention in Dwellings of Persons brought into contact with SmallPox
;" a question having arisen " as to the action which local authorities should take in order to
deal effectively with the inmates of dwellings invaded" by small-pox. The Board deemed the
quarantining at their homes of such persons to be "not necessary in districts in which sanitary
matters are properly administered, and vaccination and revaccination are efficiently carried out"—
assuming, of course, that the patient, on a house becoming invaded, was at once removed, and
disinfection promptly carried out: all that was then necessary was to keep the "contacts" under
observation for a fortnight, and towards the end of the second week to examine them to ascertain
if any of them were developing small-pox. This was the view acted upon, and with success, in
the Borough. Should exceptional cases occur, and the Borough Council be advised by their
Medical Officer of Health that, in the special circumstances, it was essential that the inmates should
remain in their own houses, the Board stated that they "would be prepared to sanction a reasonable
expenditure in securing such a result." This was the course adopted by the County Council in
respect to the inmates of common lodging-houses invaded by the disease. The circular letter
concluded with an expression of the Board's opinion that it was competent to a Borough Council
" to supply necessary food to any inmate of a temporary shelter, provided by them under section 60
(4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, whilst such person is residing in the shelter for the
purpose of enabling his dwelling to be disinfected by the Council." The Borough is not yet
possessed of a shelter, but in occasional instances pecuniary assistance was given to contacts whom
it was desirable to request to abstain from following their usual avocations.
Conference of the Public Health Authorities on Small-Pox.
In February, the Holborn Borough Council convened a Conference of the Public Health
Authorities to consider, " Whether the measures adopted in dealing with the outbreak could be
improved with a view to the more effective suppression of the disease."* The Meeting was held at
the offices of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and upwards of 20 Councils, and the County
Council, sent delegates. The resolutions adopted were as follows:—
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 re-vaccination 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, (b) 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.
6. " 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 ages and addresses of patients, as is done weekly in the
case of all infectious diseases.
7. " That the Conference approve the 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.
8. " That, in the opinion of this Conference, an amendment of the law is necessary to
the effect that any person inhabiting any part of a house which has been infected by smallpox,
and who, knowingly, associates with other persons without having his person and clothes
cleansed and disinfected to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Authority, shall be liable to a fine
not exceeding £20.
9. " That, in the opinion of this Conference, Borough Councils should be allowed to make
provision for 'contacts' for whom they may have no accommodation available in their
shelters."
* a shorthand report of the proceedings was published by the Council of the Borough of Holborn.