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48
Government Board in support of it. The deputation comprised,
in addition to members of the Association, numerous
medical and other persons known to take an interest in the
question. The President, Sir Charles Dilke, in his reply,
said that there was no difference of opinion at the Board as
to the advantageous nature of the powers asked for where
they were possessed. The evidence from the various localities
where they had been worked was ample on that head.
They were not, however, quite ready to adopt the Bill, or to
support it in its existing form, there being great fear, in
going at all in advance of public opinion, of producing
reaction. They would be disposed to agree to general
legislation in some form, legislation to facilitate the application
of the desired provisions by local authorities. The Bill
went beyond this, and it was not the opinion of the Board
that the time had yet come to give universally the compulsory
powers proposed, by absolute legislation. After a few years'
experience of the working of such provisions in the districts
where they had been applied, and in the other districts which
would try them very shortly; then, after investigation, the
matter might be extended still further. The Board were
disposed to give local authorities who want compulsory
powers, the means of dealing with infectious diseases at once,
without the necessity of applying for a local Act; either by
means of a general Act, which they could bring into force
themselves, or else by giving them power to make bye-laws
for that purpose.*
*The Medical Officer of the Board in his Annual Report for 1881-2 wrote on
this subject as follows: "Seeing how greatly the usefulness of Sanitary Action
in respect of infectious diseases must depend upon early knowledge of its
presence, I have had no hesitation in advising that this power, (i.e. of obtaining
immediate information of the existence of infectious disease in any house), might
properly be possessed by any Sanitary Authority who wanted it, and who,
having made adequate arrangements for securing isolation and disinfection for
the district, was prepared to put to effectual use the knowledge which a system of
disease-notification would afford." It may be remembered that the Select
Committee on "Sanitary Regulations," (House of Commons, Session 1882),
recommended that,"in any future amendment of the Public Health Act, powers,"
(i.e., to secure "notification,") " should be extended to all Urban Sanitary
Authorities, or at least that means should be devised for clothing them with such
powers on application."