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26
Local Government Board,
Whitehall, S.W.
22ncl March, 1906.
Sir,—I am directed by the Local Government Board to advert
to your letter of the 19th ultimo, with its enclosures, with reference
to the suggested establishment by the Managers of the Metropolitan
Asylum 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.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sd.) J. S. DAVY,
Asst. Secretary.
The Clerk to Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums District.
The communication from Sir William Broadbent adverted to was as
follows :—
84, Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, W.
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 coordinating
authority reqiiired 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.
The Authority must evidently be sought elsewhere. There are many
hundreds of members of the industrial classes lying dying in their homes