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the nature of an infectious disease, with the effect of saving time
in the removal of the patient, as compared with the strictly legal
procedure of requiring the District Medical Officer's certificate, but
with some loss of time as compared with the new system of
admitting patients on the direct application of any registered
medical practitioner. The latter system," I added, "altogether
informal as it may have been in its inception, and although it is'
admittedly not in conformity with the Order of the Local Government
Board, relating to the admission of patients, has nevertheless
proved in practice to be the best for ensuring the speedy removal
of cases of infectious disease." "In the interests of public
health," therefore, I still trusted that this system might be "made
to work so as to obviate the difficulties to which, in a few exceptional
cases, it has given rise." If this were not possible I hoped
that "provision would be made to enable the Relieving Officer to
act upon the certificate of any registered medical practitioner," for
I could not "see that anything is to be gained by giving the
Medical Officer of Health the power of admitting patients unless
he may act on the certificate of any registered medical practitioner."
The pecuniary question I said was "not deserving of consideration
in comparison with the question of speedy isolation of infectious
persons, a question" in which I knew the Managers were "deeply
and primarily interested."
I had commenced my letter by stating that I did not think
your Vestry would be disposed to entertain the arrangement contemplated
by the General Purposes Committee, but requested
to know if I might bring the subject to the notice of the
Sanitary Committee ? Under date June 12th the Clerk informed
me that the Committee had deferred the consideration of
my letter of June 5th, until their meeting to be held June 23rd.
" In the meantime I am desired by the Chairman and ViceChairman
of the Board to request that you will bring under the
notice of the Vestry of Kensington the suggestions embodied in
the communication which I addressed to you on the 28th ultimo."
I did as requested at the meeting held June 17th, and your Vestry
referred the communication to the Works, Sanitary and General