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The proposed agreement, like the agreement of December, 1912, asks us to
provide for 10 diseases, when the existing hospital arrangements only provide
for 4 of them, viz.: scarlet fever, enteric fever, diphtheria and smallpox. For
these other 6 diseases it would be better and cheaper for the Guardians to provide
a hospital themselves, rather than that each district should provide separate
hospital accommodation. The Enfield and Edmonton Joint Hospital Board
have an arrangement with the Guardians to receive (when there is room) cases
of scarlet fever, enteric fever and diphtheria at a reduced charge of 4s. 6d. per
day, 7s. being the ordinary charge. This hospital is empowered to provide
accommodation for all the 10 diseases mentioned in the proposed agreement
except smallpox, cholera and plague, which can be provided by agreement
between the Joint Hospital Board of Clare Hall at South Mimms and the
Edmonton Guardians.
In a report to the Sanitary Committee, dated 7th January, 1914, our
Clerk (Mr. W. F. Payne) gave his opinion that:—
"Any agreement should be between the Joint Board and the Guardians
for cases of disease for which the Joint Board has provided,
including conveyance to and from the hospital."
It must be remembered that, as Edmonton has formed a joint hospital
board both with Enfield at Winchmore Hill and other authorities at South
Mimms, they have handed over their responsibilities (if any) (see section 281
of the Public Health Act, 1875), although by section 1 of the Public Health
(Prevention and Treatment of Diseases) Act, 1913, the Local Government
Board may by Order abrogate this.
Edmonton requires special consideration more than the other seven
districts in the Union, because two large institutions of the Guardians, viz., the
Workhouse and the Infirmary, are situate in this district, and it is only my
constant vigilance that prevents the district being saddled from time to time
with the expense of some person or persons who have been admitted into
these institutions from Tottenham, Enfield, Wood Green, Hornsey, Cheshunt,
Waltham Abbey or Southgate. ,
Quarantine Funds.—The increase of scarlet fever and diphtheria
during October, November and December placed the Medical Officer in an
advantageous position for persuading large employers of labour to establish or
re-establish these funds from which are provided support for employees who
as contacts, are kept away from work in order to safeguard their fellow
employees. In my report for December I was able to state that Messrs. Eley
Bros., Ltd. had re-established their fund, which had been stopped on account
of the National Insurance Act coming into force, and that the Metropolitan
Electric Tramways, Ltd. were also commencing a fund. The workers of other