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to the Local Government Board, which had already received considerable
enlightenment as to the views of Sanitary Authorities on
the provision of hospital accommodation for "that large class of persons
not needing relief, but whose isolation in hospitals is necessary
for preventing the spread of the disease" i.e., Small Pox.
(Local Government Board's letter, Jan. 2, 1877). The result of
this enlightenment is now visible in the provisions of the "Public
Health (Metropolis) Bill, 1877, which, though not printed, was read
a second time in the House of Commons on the 11th June, 1877.
The 56th to the 63rd clauses of the Bill (omitting the 57th and
58th) give power to the "local authority" (i.e., Vestry or District
Board of Works) to provide hospitals by re-enacting the 37th
clause of the Sanitary Act, 1866; enable the Local Government
Board to combine such authorities on their application for
providing hospitals; provide for the management of the hospitals
by a joint committee: for the expenses of the Committee, and
confer borrowing powers, &c., &c. I do not enter into details on
this part of the scheme, because I do not expect it will be put into
operation whenever the Bill may pass. I venture, however, to
quote in its entirety the 64th section, to which I attach the greatest
importance, viz.: —
"The Managers of any asylum district constituted under the
Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867, and the Acts amending the same,
may, from time to time, with the approval of the Local Government
Board, contract with any local authority under this Act for
the reception, care, and maintenance in any hospital belonging to
or under the control of such managers, of any person suffering
from any dangerous infectious disorder within the district of any
such local authority."
It is to be hoped that when the Bill is in Committee the permissive
power to contract will be made an obligatory one on the
Managers; and it is to be remarked that, although it is probable
only the Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board would
ever think of entering into such a contract for the reception of the
infectious sick, all the "sick asylums" Boards (and there are several
such in the Metropolis) are embraced within the terms of the section.
I think it may be fairly inferred from all that has taken place that
the Local Government Board is not disposed to alter the constitution
of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and that they are of
opinion (as I am) that "the provision of hospital accommodation"
by this excellent Board "would meet the necessities of the case,
leaving the local administration of the Sanitary Acts untouched."
In a roundabout way the 57th clause of the Bill makes a provision
which would have the desired effect of depauperising the relief
given to the "non-pauper" sick in the hospitals, it being assumed
that such cases would in future be sent by the sanitary authorities,
and not through the agency of the Poor Law officials. The clause