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47
PUBLIC HEALTH LEGISLATION IN 1913.
The following Measures for safeguarding public health interests were introduced
into Parliament during 1913:—
The Public Health (Prevention and Treatment of Disease) Act, 1913 (see
below). Passed.
The Vaccination Acts (Repeal) Bill (see below). Dropped.
The Deaths Registration and Burials Bill.(see page 48). Dropped.
The Smoke Abatement Bill, 1913 (see page 49). Dropped.
The Milk and Dairies Bill (see page 50). Dropped.
Tuberculosis Order of 1913 (see page 51). Passed.
The Underground Workrooms Bill (see page 73). Dropped.
The following official publication was also issued during the year. It contained
much information which will be of considerable value to those interested in food supply
and control.
Report to the Local Government Board on Bacterial Food Poisonings and Food
Infections, by Dr. W. G. Savage (see page 52).
PUBLIC HEALTH (PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DISEASES)
ACT, 1913.
This is a short Act, that among other matters, empowers the Council of any County
or of any Sanitary Authority to make any such arrangements for the treatment of
Tuberculosis as may be necessary. Provision is made, however, for approval by the
Local Government Board.
VACCINATION ACTS (REPEAL) BILL.
The Vaccination Acts (Repeal) Bill—a short private Bill which had as its object
the repeal of the Vaccination Acts—provided that no public money should be
available, either to pay for vaccination or for providing a supply of vaccine lymph,
and further that vaccination should cease to be a condition of admission to the public
service.
Mainly owing to the operation of the Vaccination Act, 1907, the number of
persons accepting the protection afforded by vaccination has unfortunately decreased,
and any attempt to further limit the scope of this method of prevention of the spread
of Small.pox is much to be regretted, as there is not the slightest doubt that it is one
of the most valuable means we possess of combating outbreaks of this disease.
Whenever Small.pox occurs either in sporadic or epidemic form, it is my
experience that advantage is taken of the public facilities which are provided.
In both instances direct contacts are generally ready to accept the advice to be
vaccinated, and in the latter, varying numbers who are not known to have been in
contact with the disease protect themselves against attack by voluntarily requesting to
be vaccinated.