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Ill
the Board." * I stated that the new arrangements had '' worked well,
were not unknown at the Local Government Board, and were
approved by the Medical Officers of Health," and I submitted that
"any trifling inconvenience" referred to "might be removed by the
formal recognition of them by the Board," if indeed the "tardy
objection" of the General Purposes Committee to my circular
letter did not arise out of the proposed arrangements for contracting
with the Vestries, with which arrangements obviously the "new
system of removals is inconsistent." I pointed out that there would
be as much delay in getting the "order of the Medical Officer of
Health" as in getting an order of the Believing Officer, and that the
order of the Medical Officer of Health would represent " an indirect
application for removal by a medical man," for he could not visit
the case, and must act upon the certificate received. "The money
question I could not regard, but the expense would fall on the same
ratepayers, whether met in the first instance by the Sanitary or by
the Poor Law Authority." I concluded by saying that "if upon
further consideration the Committee still desired me to withdraw
my letter of July 22nd, 1884, I would do so, but that the
* The following Regulations are in point:—
1. [States that applications for the removal of cases must be made at
the Offices of the Board on week days, during office hours, and at the
Ambulance Station of the district, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on
Sundays, and between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. every day.]
2. " Such applications must state the name, age, and full address of the
patient, and from what disease suffering: in cases of fever to state
the particular kind of fever, and in cases of small-pox whether the
case is of a mild or severe type.''
" Applications which do not give these particulars shall be referred back
to the applicant for the required information to be furnished."
[The italics are in the original. The above directions would have
been quite superfluous for district medical officers and relieving
officers, who use printed official forms for the medical certificate and
for the admission order.]
1. " Subject to the control of the Committee appointed to regulate such
matters, the Clerk to the Board is to give all necessary directions for
the removal of acute cases from their homes to the hospitals, &c."
6. " Upon the removal being effected, the Superintendent of the Ambulance
Station is to send notice thereof to the Clerk to the Guardians
of the parish from which the case was conveyed, &c."
[Such notice would be unnecessary in regard to a patient removed
upon the order of a relieving officer, who would naturally report
the case to the Clerk to the Guardians in due course; but as a patient,
admitted on the application of a medical practitioner, would
become chargeable to the Guardians, it was necessary to notify the
admission to the Clerk.]