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condition to convey infection to other persons constituting a grave
danger to public health, a source of unnecessary suffering, and of
additional expense to patients, their friends, and the public. The
Committee recommended the Council to endorse their opinion, and
the Metropolitan Asylums Board be requested to take such steps
as may be necessary to prevent in future the discharge of patients
while in a condition liable to convey infection.
In accordance with the directions of the Council, the Town Clerk
addressed a letter to other Metropolitan Borough Councils giving
the facts of the above cases, and stating the reply of the Metropolitan
Asylums Board: "That they are unable to obtain any
definite evidence clearly associating the admission of the other
members of the family with his discharge from Brook Hospital."
The Town Clerk, in his circular letter to the Metropolitan
Boroughs, inquired "whether any cases of infection, or suspected
infection, from the premature discharge of patients from hospitals
of the Metropolitan Asylums Boards have occurred in your Borough,
and to ask you to be good enough to bring the matter to the notice
of your Council, with a view to pressure being brought to bear upon
the Metropolitan Asylums Board to secure the adoption of more
adequate precautions against premature discharges and consequent
spread of infection."
Various replies were received, some Boroughs had had similar
experience to the Poplar Borough, and some had not.
The Committee recommended the Council: "That the attention
of the Local Government Board be directed to the matter, and
they be urged to take the necessary steps to enforce adequate
precautions being in future taken to prevent the discharge of
patients from Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospitals while
in a condition likely to convey infection to other persons."
The following circular letter was; received from the Metropolitan
Asylums Board: —