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of "hospital accommodation" for cases of infectious disease, viz., "by
depauperising the relief afforded in the hospitals of the Managers."
The "Disqualification by Medical Relief Bill," endorsed, amongst others,
by the senior member for the Borough, now Under-Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, passed through the House of Commons; but,
having been ruined by Government amendments moved by the Lord
President of the Council, was abandoned after the second reading in the
Upper House.
It is not probable that the subject will be dealt with in the few
remaining weeks of the current session, but I note with satisfaction a
growing tendency to regard with approval the principle of "depauperization"
adopted by your Vestry.
The subject is becoming ripe for legislation. The hospitals exist:
the accommodation is nearly sufficient: and a principal question is:—
To what authority shall the duty of administering them be permanently
relegated? The Managers are willing to continue the work they
have so well begun, and for my own part, I say now, as I said years
ago, that I should be content to see the matter left in their hands.
Let them provide accommodation for all comers; and let the charges
be defrayed out of a Metropolitan rate or common fund. Maintenance
and treatment of the sick in the hospitals should be placed on the
same footing as public vaccination, so as not to entail any sacrifice of
social or political status on the recipients of assistance, it being to the
interest of the community at large, to deal with infectious diseases at
the public cost so far as regards hospital treatment. This plan has the
merit of simplicity, involves the fewest changes, and would entail
little or no delay in execution. But if these conditions are deemed
inadmissible, I would sever the hospital treatment of infectious disease
from all connexion with Poor-Law administration. This might be
effected by the constitution of a "Central Authority" (on the plan of
the Metropolitan Board of Works), to be elected by the Vestries and
District Boards of Works, and having power to take over the hospitals
and provide accommodation for all persons "whose isolation in hospitals
is necessary for preventing the spread of disease."
This "public hospital" system would probably entail some additional
expense on the ratepayers, but none commensurate with the benefits
that would accrue from the safe treatment of infectious diseases which
is the object in view; and whatever the increase in cost it would be