View report page

47
" With the object of ascertaining, in the first instance, the views of the Local Government
Board, of the several Metropolitan City and Borough Councils, Boards of Guardians, and Sick
Asylum Districts, and of the administrative bodies of the hospitals for consumptives, at Brompton
and Victoria Park, and in the City Road, upon this most important subject, we gave directions at
our meeting on the 8th May last, for a copy of the memorial, together with a copy of the speeches
delivered in support thereof, by Sir William Broadbent, Bart., Sir Edmund Hay Currie, Dr. T.
Orme Dudfield and others, to be forwarded to these authorities. We at the same time directed
that the Boards of Guardians should also be asked to inform the Managers what steps (if any) they
had taken to deal with tuberculous cases in their infirmaries, and with what results.
"The Local Government Board have since replied, in a letter dated 27th June last, to the
effect that, whilst they were then 'obtaining information on the whole subject,' they were not ' in a
position to express an opinion on the question as to whether the Managers should undertake the
new duties suggested.'
" The replies which were received from the other authorities enumerated above, and which
have since been tabulated and forwarded to the Managers, show that of the 65 authorities consulted,
19 were wholly favourable to the prayer of the memorial; 9 were favourable if the cost were made
a national charge ; and 14 were unfavourable ; whilst the replies of the remaining 23 authorities were
more or less indefinite.
" In the absence of any authoritative expression of opinion by the Local Government Board,
and as the result of our consideration of the question in all its bearings, we recommend—
" ' That the Managers do forward to the Local Government Board a copy of the memoria
" addressed to the Managers by the Metropolitan Branch of the Incorporated Society of Medical
" Officers of Health, on the 15th April, 1905 .... on the subject of the provision of hospital
" accommodation for the treatment and isolation of patients suffering from pulmonary phthisis;
" ' That the Local Government Board be further informed that, having regard to the uncer"
tainty which prevails as to the probable number of patients who would come under the schemes
" referred to in the memorial, and to the great prospective cost to the ratepayers of the Metropolis,
" the Managers will be glad to receive the judgment of the Local Government Board upon the
" prayer of the .memorial referred to.' "
At the meeting of the Managers on the 31st March, the Board's " judgment" was read as
follows: —
Local Government Board,
22nd March, 1906.
Sir,—I am directed by the Local Government Board to advert to your letter of the
19th ultimo, and its enclosures, with reference to the suggested establishment by the Managers
of the Metropolitan Asylums District, of sanatoria for the treatment of patients suffering from
phthisis.
I am directed to inform the Managers that the subject has received much careful consideration
on the part of the Board, but that the information at present before them, does not
appear to afford sufficient justification for the very heavy outlay which would be involved in
the proposal.
At the same time, I am to forward for the information of the Managers, a copy of a
communication which the Board have received from Sir William Broadbent on the subject.
(Sd.) J. S. Davy, .dss*. Secretary.
The Clerk to Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums District.
The communication from Sir William Broadbent was as follows: —
7th February, 1906.
Sir,—Since I sent you a copy of the Memorial which I addressed to the Metropolitan
Asylums Board on the subject of Tuberculosis, I have learnt that this body is too extensively
associated with Poor Law Administration to act as a Tuberculosis Authority for non-pauper
classes. I was misled by the fact that Fever cases are sent to the Hospitals of the Board,
whether pauper or not, and I was not aware that, being elected by the Guardians, the Metropolitan
Asylums Board could not exercise the co-ordinating authority required in order to bring
to bear on the prevention of consumption all the agencies which would have to work together.
A consideration which influenced me greatly was that the Board has some thousands of empty
beds which might be utilised for the care, treatment, and isolation of sufferers from consumption.