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71
politan Poor-Law Guardians' Association "having been called
to the subject, in a paper by Mr. Rutherglen, the Clerk to the
Kensington Guardians, it was resolved, unanimously, to ask the
Government " to include (in a proposed Bill) provision for the
compulsory notification of infectious diseases."
Commenting at the time on the remarkable unanimity which had
characterised the proceedings of the several public bodies, &c., in
dealing with this question, I said, and I can find no more suitable
words now with which to complete my reference to the subject, that
" 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."
Referring, moreover, to the deputation—and the words are
in degree, applicable to the proceedings of the recent deputation,
I said:—
"As an expression of opinion from the official, the professional, and
the general public point of view respectively, nothing could well have
been more impressive than this deputation, or more weighty than the
statements and arguments brought under the President's notice."
Whether we shall obtain a Notification Act this year depends
largely perhaps, upon the chapter of accidents. We may be
doomed to temporary disappointment; but at least we can feel that
the movement has made progress, more especially as the Hospitals
Commission in their report strongly advocate the principle of
notification. (Practical Recommendations, par. 3, page 30 supra.)
So far on the question of compulsory notification. I shall
presently enumerate the sources from which, in this parish,
voluntary notification in regard to the occurrence of infectious
diseases is obtained, and I now propose to mention the steps
taken in the past year, with the view to still further increasing
the sources of such information. And first I may state that
I availed myself of an opportunity afforded by an outbreak of
scarlet fever in the family of a letter-carrier, to place myself in
communication with the Postmaster General on the subject.