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A specimen of one of these cabinets was exhibited at the recent Electrical
Exhibition, and the Company are to be congratulated upon the prompt and
effective manner in which they have dealt with a matter directly connected
with the health of their customers.
Through the courtesy of the Postmaster-General, I also had an opportunity
of examining at the Post Office Factory, Mount Pleasant, the pattern telephone
cabinet adopted for the Post Office telephone service, and was able to
make some suggestions that might improve their ventilation, &c.
ACCOMMODATION OF PATIENTS NOT SUFFERING FROM INFECTIOUS
DISEASE IN METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD HOSPITALS.
In September last a communication was received from the Town Clerk of
Holborn, stating that the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn had
had under consideration the reports of the Metropolitan Asylums Board for
the past four years, and that their attention had been drawn to the fact that
during that time no less than 10,000 patients had been admitted suffering from
diseases for which the Board's Hospitals were not provided, and that they had
been detained on an average about three weeks at a total cost for the whole
period of about £60,000, and that having regard to these figures he was
directed to ascertain whether, in the view of other Metropolitan Boroughs
interested, a joint conference on the subject, between the Metropolitan
Boroughs and the Asylums Board, could with advantage be held to discuss the
matter.
Amongst the suggestions that had been made was one that the Medical
Officer of Health should be required to confirm the diagnosis of the medical
practitioner in each case. The Corporation were also asked whether they
would be prepared, in the event of a conference being decided upon, to appoint
representatives. The matter was considered by the Sanitary Committee on
the 24th October, when it was decided that no action should be taken in the
matter.
In view of the sweeping statements contained in the letter in question, it
was hardly likely that the Asylums Board would let such a charge go
unchallenged, and on the 16th November they issued the following copy of a
report which the Metropolitan Asylums Board had received from their
Hospitals Committee upon the subject of the circular letter addressed to them
by the Holborn Borough Council referred to above:—
"METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.
"Board Meeting (11th November, 1905).
"Copy Report of Hospitals Committee.
12nd November, 1905.
"Accommodation of Patients.— On the 14th October last, the Board referred to us for
"report a letter from the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn, dated 18th
"September, 1905, in which they call attention to an alleged expenditure amounting,