View report page

29
"Probably the simplest plan would be to obtain an order from the Local Govern"ment
Board under Section 5 of the Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867:—
"'Asylums to be supported and managed according to the provisions of this
"'Act may be provided under this Act for Reception and Relief of the Sick,
"'Insane, or Infirm, or other class or classes of the Poor, chargeable in Unions
"'and Parishes in the Metropolis (and in this Act the term "Asylum" means
"'an Asylum provided under this Act),'
"to enable them to deal with suitable cases of the chargeable poor suffering from
"Phthisis, and to obtain an amendment of section 80 of the Public Health Act, 1891,
"to enable them to deal with non-chargeable cases.
"This section reads as follows:—
"'The Metropolitan Asylums Managers, subject to such regulations and
"'restrictions as the Local Government Board prescribe, may admit any
"'person, who is not a pauper, and is reasonably believed to be suffering from
" 'Fever or Small-pox or Diphtheria into the hospitals provided by the
"'Managers.'
"The addition of the word "or tuberculous Phthisis" after Diphtheria would effect
"this.
"I may mention that the advisability of the Metropolitan Asylums Board being
"made the authority for dealing with Phthisis in the case of persons chargeable to
"the poor rates was agreed to by a conference, to which (among others) the Metro"politan
Medical Officers of Health and the Medical Superintendents of the Poor
"Law Infirmaries were invited, held on the 9th January, 1905, when the following
"Resolutions were passed:—
"'(1) That it is of urgent importance that further and more complete public
"'provision be made for cases of Phthisis.
"'(2) That it is desirable that provision be made by the Metropolitan
"'Asylums Board for persons suffering from Phthisis who are or may from
" 'time to time become chargeable to the poor rates.
"'(3) That the Council of the Charity Organisation Society approach the
"'following Societies, amongst others, with a view to these or similar resolu"'tions
being submitted to the Local Government Board, jointly, viz., the
"'Society of Medical Officers of Health, the National Association for the
"'Prevention of Consumption, the National Health Society, the Royal Sanitary
"'Institute.'
"The Society of Medical Officers of Health organised a deputation on these lines.
"Resolutions in favour of the Metropolitan Asylums Board being the authority
"were also passed by the Society of Medical Officers of Health in October, 1903—
"by the delegates of the Metropolitan Borough Councils at a Conference convened
"by the London County Council held in July, 1904— and by the National Society
"for the Prevention of Consumption, in March, 1905.
"At a conference held in October, 1900, at which 20 of the 32 Metropolitan
"Boards of Guardians were represented, the following Resolutions were passed:—
"'That this conference of Poor Law Authorities, having discussed the
"'question of the open-air treatment of Consumption, are of opinion that the