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24
SMALL POX.
No notifications of this disease have been received during the
year. I have seen in consultation with practitioners, one or two
cases suspected of being Small Pox; all these cases proved to be
severe cases of Chicken Pox.
Our hospital provision for Small Pox consists of an arrangement
with the Metropolitan Asylums Board, whereby they receive our
cases on payment of 8s. per day, with the addition of actual outof-pocket
expenses incurred by the Board for funerals, clothing on
discharge and the use of their Ambulance Service. This arrangement,
however, is terminable at short notice, the Metropolitan Asylums
Board refusing to enter into any lengthy agreement; they urging
that it is not their practice to do so. This refusal to enter into
such an agreement is to be regretted, for one feels that in the event
of an epidemic of Small Pox, in which we, in common with London
might be involved, we might be left to shift for ourselves at the
very time we most required nospital accommodation.
It it thought by some that should such an epidemic occur a
temporary hospital could be erected at short notice; but where in
the district, I would ask, could a hospital for this disease be
erected that would comply with the terms set forth in the
Memorandum of the Local Government Board ? It will be well in
this place to refer to that Memorandum :—
" Hospitals for Small Pox.—
" In view of the frequently demonstrated liability of Small Pox
hospitals to disseminate that disease to neighbouring
communities, and in order to lessen the risk of such