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56
It may be mentioned that subsequent to the Conference, viz.,
at a meeting held May 28th, the Managers of the Metropolitan
Asylum District directed a communication to be made to the
Local Government Board, to the effect (inter alia) that in their
opinion " provision should be made in any new Act for the compulsory
notification of any infectious or contagious disease, in every
class of the community to the respective Sanitary Authorities."
At a meeting on the 29th April, of the Metropolitan Poor Law
Guardians' Association also, after the reading of a paper by
Mr. Rutherglen, Clerk to the Kensington Guardians, on "The
difficulties as to isolation and treatment of cases of Small-pox and
Fever in the Metropolis," it was resolved unanimously (inter alia).
"That the Government be asked to include (in a proposed Act)
provision for the Compulsory Notification of Infectious Diseases, for the
compulsory removal to hospital of persons suffering from such diseases,
for whom proper isolation and treatment cannot otherwise be obtained,
and for the 'non-pauperization' of recipients of this kind of relief."
It is difficult to imagine what further evidence can be wanted to
satisfy the Local Government Board of the ripeness of the time,
and of public opinion for such legislation as is here contemplated.
The result of the Conference was communicated to the Sanitary
Authorities, a copy of the resolutions being forwarded, together with
a request that each authority approving "the principles laid down
in the first three resolutions would be good enough to appoint two
of their members to take part in the proposed deputation to the
President of the Local Government Board."
The resolutions were also sent, for information, to the several
Boards of Guardians. They were sent also to the Society of Medical
Officers of Health, to the Council of the British Medical Association,
to the Social Science Association, and to the National Health
Society, together with a letter of invitation to those Bodies to join
in the deputation to the President of the Local Government Board.
The invitations were accepted by the several Societies, and the
President having been communicated with, appointed the 23rd of
April for the reception of