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duties under the Vaccination Acts, such legislation should provide
that all registered Medical Practitioners residing or practising in the
Metropolis should act as Public Vaccinators at a uniform fee of
2s. 6d. for each successful case of vaccination or re-vaccination, such
fees to be paid by the Borough Councils, and repaid to such Councils
from a common fund, either by the London County Council, or the
Metropolitan Asylums Board, in the same manner as fees for notifications
of infectious diseases under the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, are spread over the whole County. The Committee endorsed
the view expressed by the Bermondsey Council.
The Prime Minister, in reply to a question, stated (on the 4th
March) that the President of the Local Government Board proposed
to renew the Act for a year, and to defer any further legislation to a
later Session.
The Cost of the Small-pox Epidemic.—A report of the Finance
Committee of the Asylums Board lately issued, deals with the cost
to the ratepayers of the epidemic of small-pox in 1901-2, for
additional hospital accommodation and transport. The estimated
total expenditure on the Long Reach Hospital (300 beds) is £61,600,
on the Orchard Hospital, £130,676: total, £192,276; this being
irrespective of expenditure on the adjacent permanent hospital at
Joyce Green. On the Gore Farm Hospitals the expenditure was
nearly £232,500; viz., on the "Upper" hospital (for "additional
buildings"), £56,183; and on the new "Lower" hospital, £176,288.
These two hospitals, which the Council desired to see utilised for the
isolation and treatment of persons suffering from consumption, are
now lying empty and have been disused for some months. In 1902,
the Managers estimated an expenditure in connection with small-pox
accommodation and transport of £400,000. This estimate has been
exceeded by upwards of £91,000. In addition to these sums, a large
amount expended in furnishing and equipping the various buildings
has been charged to the current account.