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Hospital, on conditions that no case should be admitted from
that District when there was any reason to believe that the bed
might be required by a patient in the Finchley District, and
that all expenses of maintenance, nursing, &c., should be
be defrayed by the Friern Barnet Local Authority.
Re Cases of Infection among Paupers.—On two
occasions during the year it was found necessary to employ
Nurse Cresswell to nurse patients who were, by reason of
their illness, destitute of the means of support; and the bulk
of such expense has fallen upon the Sanitary Authority. I
am informed by the Relieving Officer that "The Local
Authority is responsible for all cases of Infectious Disease
whether they are paupers or not.'' There is no doubt that
in such cases the duty of looking after infectious persons
in the sense of securing their isolation is one that properly
falls within the duties of the Sanitary Authority, but when
these cases are destitute of all means of support during
their illness then surely it should be the duty of the
Guardians to make provision for sustenance, and to provide
a nurse where necessary, or else to refund the Sanitary
Authority for any expenses thereby incurred. The fact that
a destitute individual happens to be suffering from an
infectious disease does not shift the responsibility of
maintenance and nursing from the shoulders of the Guardians,
and I contend that the Parish should be able, in cases of
emergency to supply a nurse for infectious cases.
The Spread of Infectious Disease by Tramps.—There
is abundant evidence forthcoming from all parts of Great
Britain that tramps play an important part in disseminating
disease, and there is a strong feeling among health officers as
to the necessity of some measures to check this source of
danger.
Many outbreaks of small-pox have been traced to this
nomadic class—which for any practical pnrposes is under no
sort of sanitary supervision; indeed, it is calculated that
nearly 50 per cent. of the primary invasions of districts by
small-pox are the result of tramp-spread infection.