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in order that the Sanitary Authorities may see that the
person is properly isolated, or where that is not possible,
that they are removed to hospital, for whilst parents
will hide the fact of the disease existing in their children
and they are allowed to associate with others and to
return to school before the infectious period has passed,
so will the disease spread; it is in such cases as these
that the compulsory notification would be most valuable
the latter subject having so recently been under the consideration
of the Board, it is unnecessary, except to
again advocate its adoption, to refer further to it.
The disease was for the most part of a very mild
character, hence, the mortality in comparison to number,
was low; and there is no doubt the prompt action in
many cases of removing the first patient to hospital has
saved many from taking the disease 1 may state that
every facility is afforded by the Asylum's Board for
removal of patients without delay, and further, that all
possible care is taken of the patient in transit and
otherwise.
As so many removals are now taking place, it may be
interesting to the Board to know the various steps
taken to place a patient in the hospital. The following
is from an exhaustive report written by W. M. Ackworth,
Esq., our representative at the Asylum's Board, dated
October, 1887, and kindly lent me by R. M. Henley, Esq.
" The responsibility of the Asylums Board for a case of infectious disease begins
from the moment that application for its removal is made by a Relieving
Officer or Medical Officer of Health to the chief office of the Board, in Norfolk
Street. Norfolk Street is in telephone communication with the different
ambulance stations. If the application gives (as it only too frequently does
not) all the needful particulars of sex, age, nature of disease, and address
of patient, it is immediately telephoned on to the ambulance station in
whose district the patient's place of abode is situated, there a Clerk receives
and records it, the Superintendent of the station steps out into the yard
and blows his whistle; helpers run out and put to the horse, the driver
buttons up his coat and gets on to his box; meanwhile, a massage has been