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46
The Committee, in dealing with the Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Improvement Bill, agreed to some further powers, included in a
clause providing for "Removal to hospital of persons suffering
from infectious diseases, and without proper accommodation,"
which enable the Corporation to remove a patient to their hospital,
on the certificate of the Medical Officer of Health ("unless the
medical practitioner, if any, attending such person dissent in
writing"); the condition of such removal being that the patient is
"without lodging or accommodation proper for the treatment of the
case and sufficient for the purpose of isolation so as to prevent the
spread of the disease." If the notice by the Corporation requiring
the removal should not be complied with, application will have to
be made to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction "for an order of
removal, which is to be addressed to an officer of the Corporation"
(Penalty for obstruction or disobedience, not to exceed £10, and
daily penalty not to exceed £1), "the Corporation to defray all
expenses incidental to the patient's conveyance to the hospital and
his maintenance and treatment therein."
The Committee refused certain "further powers" asked for by
the Corporation "with respect to the prevention of infection from
disease," some of which, however, are included in other Local Acts
passed in previous sessions : they include the following:—
Power to close schools—public or private.
Power to close shop, dairy, manufactory, store, common lodgiug-house>
&c., and to prevent the entrance of the public thereinto.
Power to declare a house an "infected place," when a variety of
restrictions of private liberty that would be considered "arbitrary"
would come into force.
Power to restrain a nurse in attendance on an infectious sick person from
attending afterwards on any person not infectiously sick, without
medical permission, and after disinfection of person and clothing,
&c., &c.
Power to compel occupiers of dairies, &c., to give notice of disease.
Power to prohibit sale, &c., of milk, &c., brought from infectious places
beyond the Borough.
Prohibition of infected matter being deposited in middens, &c.
Prohibition of the supply of books, &c., from public libraries to infected
houses.
Prohibition of scholars and teachers of public schools attending school
while residing in infected houses.