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47
The Conference met on 10th November, 1904, and was attended by
representatives of the following bodies:—
The City of London.
The London County Council.
Twenty-eight County Councils of England and Wales.
Fifty-three County Boroughs of England and Wales.
Twenty-six Metropolitan Borough Councils.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board.
The total number of representatives present was 189.
The following Resolutions were adopted by the Conference:—
"GENERAL MEASURES FOR THE PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD
"OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE BY VAGRANTS.
"(1) (a) That this Conference of urban and sanitary authorities of England and
"Wales recognises the increasing amount of habitual vagrancy as the cause of
"wide-spread and disastrous consequences to the public health, and is of opinion
"that much more effective measures than are at present adopted should be taken for
"preventing the spread of infectious disease by vagrants, and for effectually dealing
"with this great and growing danger.
"(b) That the evil can only be met by conferring further powers upon the local
"authorities, viz., the sanitary authority, the board of guardians, and the magistracy.
"(2) That means should be provided for the detention and isolation of any
"vagrant found wandering in a public place, if reasonably suspected of being liable
"to convey infectious disease.
(3) That this Conference is of opinion that it is desirable that—
"(a) Parliamentary powers should be sought for the compulsory vaccination and
"re-vaccination of all vagrants unable to produce proof of being sufficiently
"protected against small-pox on entering casual wards or common lodging-houses,
"who, in the opinion of the sanitary authority, have been exposed to the infection
"of small-pox, and also that sanitary authorities should have power to grant such
"compensation as they think necessary to persons vaccinated or re-vaccinated at
"their request who may be prevented on that account from work;
"(b) It should be an offence to withhold information or make false statements to
"the sanitary authority in carrying out its powers with respect to the disease.
"(4) That in order to deal effectually with the transmission of notifiable infectious
"disease by tramps, power should be given to county councils to enforce the
"existing laws in all cases where sanitary authorities in the county refuse or neglect
"to do so.
"(5) That the Local Government Board should obtain powers to secure weekly
"returns of all cases of infectious disease from all central authorities throughout the
"country, and circulate the same.
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"(6) That it is desirable that in districts comprising groups of counties and
"county boroughs, intelligence bureaux should be established, to which information