View report page

77
THE METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.
The work of the Asylums Board has of late years
assumed increased importance to Sanitary Authorities, by
reason of legislation which has conferred power on the
Managers to discharge for the Metropolis, as a w hole, the
functions which, under the provisions of the repealed Sanitary
Act, 1866, formerly devolved upon the 43 Vestries and District
Boards in their several districts. The Board are now
the central authority for providing hospital accommodation,
and an ambulance service, by land and water, for the
infectious sick—by warrant of law, as they previously had
been in fact; for it is well known that legislation has, these
many years, followed in the steps of the Managers' practice
in regard to all that concerns the removal of the sick
and their admittance to hospital. The ambulance arrangements
leave nothing to desire: the accommodation for the
sick, moreover, was always sufficient until within the last
few years; but the increased and increasing disposition of
the public to make use of the hospitals, which dates from the
scarlet fever epidemic of 1887, together with the enlarged
demands on the resources of the Managers, consequent on
compulsory notification of infectious disease, have given rise
to difficulties to -which reference has frequently been made in
these reports. Happily, the steps taken by the Managers,
with the approval of the Local Government Board, encourage
the belief that at no distant time, the provision of accommodation
will be equal to the demand. The work of the Board
is summarised in three reports, issued annually, by the
Chairman (Sir E. H. Galsworthy), by the Statistical Committee,
and by the Ambulance Committee. The two reports
first-named, which have great interest for all who are concerned
in the sanitary government of London, and the several sanitary
districts thereof, had not been published when this report
went to press. I am, therefore, unable to follow my former
practice of summarising their contents for the information of
your Vestry. I have pleasure in submitting a réumé of the
report of the Ambulance Committee.