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from this disease in London—a fact which indicates an enormous flow of sufferers through
the sick wards in the course of the year. The inspector was laudably insistent that sanatorium
provision should be made for the non-chargeable poor, and that cases not likely to
recover should be sent to places where facilities could be given for friends to visit them.
Sir William Broadbent, Dr. J. E. Squire, Dr. Nathan Raw, and other expert authorities
took part in the deliberations, and ultimately the Conference, by an unanimous vote,
affirmed the necessity for open-air treatment, and resolved to "bring the matter to the consideration
of the Local Government Board, with the view to the necessary steps being taken
by that Board for the carrying out of the proposal." A deputation was appointed to wait
upon the Board, it being understood that the Metropolitan Asylums Board would be designated
as the proper body to act as hospital authority for the Metropolis. The deputation
was not received; the Board contenting themselves by stating, in reply to the communication
from the Conference, that it would "receive attention together with applications of a similar
nature which had been received from other public bodies.''
In the earlv part of 1902, many of the Borough Councils and Boards of Guardians intimated
to the Local Government Board and the Metropolitan Asylums Board, their opinion
that sanatoria should be provided for all classes in need of help, and that the Managers
should be the hospital authority. The several communications addressed to the Asylums
Board were referred, in July, to the General Purposes Committee (i.e., the Board sitting in
Committee), who in November reported that—
"Having regard to the important issues involved and to the fact that there was
not yet a general consensus of opinion amongst the Metropolitan authorities in
favour of the Board undertaking the treatment of consumptive patients "—
they had "deferred consideration of the matter for twelve months." The report was adopted.
At about this time a definite suggestion had been made that some of the disused smallpox
hospitals should be utilised for sanatorium purposes. The small-pox epidemic was at
an end, and for much of the accommodation provided, there was no longer (and, in fact, never
had been) any need. The suggestion was approved by many of the Public Health and Poor
Law authorities, and by the National Association for the Prevention of Consumption, in communications
addressed to the Local Government Board and the Asylums Board. It found
favour, moreover, with no small number of the Managers themselves, by whom, on five separate
occasions, unsuccessful efforts were made to re-open the subject prior to the date fixed
by the Board.
Shortly before that date—viz., in October, 1903—the Metropolitan medical officers of
health met to consider the subject, and, by an unanimous vote, passed a resolution to the
effect that—
By reason of practical experience in regard to provision of hospitals, and the treatment
of the infectious sick, the Asylums Board were eminently qualified for the discharge
of the duty [of sanatorium authority], the effective performance of which, by
any competent authority, could not fail to be attended with great advantage in the
interests of public health.
By a further resolution the Managers were invited to oonsider the suitability for the
purpose of a sanatorium of Gore Farm—
Seeing that it could be brought into use at an early date, and that the utilisation
of the buildings would save an otherwise necessarily large expenditure for the provision
of hospitals specially erected for the purpose.
On November 28th, 1903, the General Purposes Committee of the Asylums Board
brought up their long deferred Report. They stated that they had had before them, in addition
to the numerous communications above adverted to, one, dated November 20th, from the
Local Government Board, in which the Board forwarded "oopy of a letter on the subject of
the provision of suitable institutions for the treatment of pauper patients suffering from
phthisis," which the Board had received from the Guardians of the Poplar Union; and
asked "to be furnished with the observations of the Managers on the suggestion in the
Guardians' letter, as to the Managers being authorised to establish sanatoria for the treatment
of persons suffering from phthisis, who are chargeable to the Metropolitan unions and
parishes." The Committee made no recommendation with reference to this communication,
but recommended the Managers to adopt a resolution on the general question as follows—
"That the Managers, having duly considered the question of the proposed establishment
of sanatoria for consumptive patients, and the letters received from the Local
Government Board, and the various Metropolitan local authorities, and medical officers
of health, in regard thereto, are of opinion that the matter is one of such vital and