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54
After the discussion, it is clear that those Boards of Guardians
who are accustomed to send patients for treatment to the Sandgate
Homes, will have just cause to seriously reconsider their
decisions—it being the stated opinion of the Medical Officer of
Health of Sandgate that such "Homes" are aptly described as
the Sandgate scandal.
Tropical Medicine.
The Tropical Medicine Section is a new one for Congresses,
and proved of interest, as showing what is being done abroad
(more especially in India) to secure purity of water, air, food,
and environment. The need that in India exists for sanitary
organisation against malaria and other diseases was emphasized,
and a resolution was passed by the Section "to lay before the
Secretary of State for India the importance of a largely increased
special Sanitary Service for India."
A special lecture was given in this section on the disease
known as Beri-beri, with a description of its signs, symptoms,
and alleged causes, together with its geographical distribution
and treatment. The disease has been recently brought into
England (Liverpool).
Ladies' Section,
The Ladies' Section passed the following resolutions:—
1. "That it is desirable that steps be at once taken, either
through the agency of the municipal corporations, or
by some other means, of bringing home to the poor a
knowledge of the principles of health.
2. "That municipal authorities should be empowered to
erect and maintain day nurseries for the care of infants
and young children of women employed in day labour,
and that, for such a purpose, the Government should
be requested to introduce an Adoptive Bill in the next
Session."
Minister of Public Health.
The desirability of appointing a Minister of Public Health was
insisted upon, and it was decided to endeavour to make this
subject an official one in the programmes of all Congresses
(International and others).