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strong enough. The experience in this Borough being that
whilst better-class persons readily agree, and in fact desire
thorough disinfection of their premises, yet on the other hand
the very poorest, where such disinfection is most requisite, are
least inclined to avail themselves of our services in this way,
and it is in such cases where, in my opinion, compulsory
powers are needed. I further think compulsory powers are
needed to enable the Poor Law Authority to definitely retain
in suitable wards in their Institutions persons of the pauper
class who are in the later and dying stage of this disease, for
one frequently finds that after much persuasion to get
persons of this character to avail themselves of the Institutional
treatment, probably not so much on their own behalf
as to safeguard other members of their family from contracting
the illness, yet after a few weeks' stay in the
Infirmary they voluntarily take their discharge, coming home
again to spread the disease in their poor premises and
amongst their already debilitated families.
In my opinion Section 22 of the Poor Law Amendment
Act, 1867, which has recently been somewhat amplified by
decision of the Local Government Board, to the effect that
in the opinion of the Board Pulmonary Tuberculosis, if
accompanied with expectoration, may be regarded as an
infectious disease within the meaning of this section,
justifying the detention of an inmate of a workhouse within
the limits and subject to the conditions prescribed in that
section.
I have recently drawn the attention of the Clerk to the
Greenwich Board of Guardians particularly to this section
and to the above-mentioned decision of the Local Government
Board relating to the matter.
Up to the present this Council has not provided any
accommodation whatever for sanatorium or Hospital treatments
for patients suffering from Phthisis, nor has this