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of the parish, viz., across London to Fulham. The number of
Islington cases received into Fulham during the first half of 1881,
was 250.*
I have thought it right to refer to these matters to shew
the difficulties that surround the attempts to provide hospital
accommodation for small-pox, (for no such difficulty exists in
respect of other infectious diseases), and to shew that the difficulty
is about equally great, whether the attempt to provide accommodation
be made by the Managers or by the Nuisance Authorities.
The difficulty arises mainly on the ground that neither authority
has a statutory right to create a "nuisance" by setting up a hospital
so as to depreciate the property of adjoining owners. And if
the Managers, with their apparently large powers under the Metropolitan
Poor Act, 1867, and with practically unlimited funds at their
disposal, having the command of the Metropolitan purse through
the "common poor fund," have been unable to do what is necessary
for the public safety, what prospect is there of a Vestry succeeding?
As I stated in my fifth Report for 1881, (May 25, page 46),
''special legislation is imperatively called for to enable the Asylum
Board to carry on their important duties, subject to proper precautions
so as to avoid danger to health and injury to property,
without unreasonable interference on the part of individuals."
The need for such legislation is now universally felt, and the
subject is receiving the careful attention of the Managers, and of
the Local Government Board.
In my third Report for 1881, (March 30, page 24), I asked the
question—
Abe Local Hospitals desirable ?—the question whether it
is desirable that each Nuisance Authority should provide a hospital
for the sick of its own district, under the provisions of the 37th
section of the Sanitary Act, 1866 ? This question has been carefully
considered on more than one occasion by committees of your
Vestry, and decided in the negative. With this decision I have
fully concurred, and I see no reason to alter my opinion. It is my
* In the two weeks ended June nth, Islington sent 61 patients to Fulham
Hospital, by far the largest number contributed by any one parish, and only 13
less than the cases from the four parishes forming the Borough of Chelsea.