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as consultants, and indeed I have reason to know that a large
number of medical officers of health do so construe the meaning of the
Act. But as there is at any rate one, and he unfortunately no mean
authority, who thinks otherwise, the matter requires consideration.
I am, etc.,
Weymouth Street, W. James F. Goodhart,
Sir,—I quite agree with Dr. Goodhart that the point he raises
" is an important one to a large section of medical men." The case
he refers to was a fatal case of diphtheria, the first intimation of
which I received in the mortality return supplied to me by the
district registrar. I of course at once made enquiries, found that
three medical men had been " attending or called in to visit the
patient," and wrote to them to ask why they had not certified the
case to me. On receiving replies which satisfied me that there had
been no intentional concealment of the case, I reported to this effect
to the sanitary committee, who decided at my recommendation to
take no action in the matter. Dr. Goodhart seems to think that
only one medical attendant is required to certify a case, and that he
was not that one. The words of the Act are, however, perfectly
clear: "Every medical practitioner attending on or called in to visit
the patient, shall forthwith, on becoming aware that the patient is
suffering from an infectious disease to which this section applies,
send to the medical officer of health of the district a certificate
stating," &c. As a matter of fact, if several medical men see a case
and only one certifies it to the medical officer of health, the latter is
quite satisfied, as he does not want more than one certificate of one
case ; but if neither of them certifies it he is bound to report them
all to his committee as delinquents.
Dr. Goodhart says, "I was further politely informed that as I had
sinned in ignorance no action would be taken on this occasion—in
other words, I must not be a bad boy again or I should receive a
whipping." In this I think he exactly describes the position, and
as he has made it publicly known that he has neglected to certify
a case of diphtheria which proved fatal, my friendly advice to him
is that he should take very great care to certify any case of
"notifiable" infectious disease that he may attend or be "called
in to visit" in future.
I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,
W. H. Corfield, M.A., M.D., Oxon.,
Medical Officer of Health fot St. Geovge s, Hanovev Square.
Savile Row, W., Sept. 27th, 1892.