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115
and the superior advantages of the plan of throwing the
entire expenditure incurred in the hospital treatment of infectious
disease upon a Metropolitan Fund, as compared with
the plan of contracts with the several sanitary authorities.
And as the system of admitting patients at the hospitals on
the direct application of medical practitioners has worked so
well, and so much to the public advantage, in this parish, the
Vestry would further invite the Committee to consider the
desirability of steps being taken to remove whatever difficulties
have been found to interfere with the success of that system,
and to obtain for it the sanction of the Local Government
Board, and, if necessary, of the Legislature.
"I am, Sir," &c.
To the above communication a reply was received, dated July
8th, in which the Clerk to the Board stated that—
"The Committee observe with regret that the Vestry, instead of
accepting the very reasonable and practicable proposals which the
Committee have put forward on behalf of the Managers, should have
again considered it expedient to suggest that patients should be
admitted into the Managers' hospitals' upon the direct application of
any medical practitioner. That the result of such a practice would
prove satisfactory, even if its adoption were sanctioned by the Legislature,
the Committee entertain considerable doubt, inasmuch as it must
be admitted that whenever and to whomsoever the power of ordering
the removal is committed, it must necessarily be accompanied by such
regulations, restrictions, and responsibilities, as would satisfactorily
ensure due care being taken in the diagnosis of the diseases, and prevent
too indiscriminate an enforcement of the authority conferred. In
the present state of the law, however, the proposals of the Vestry are
both illegal and impracticable, whilst their invitation that the Committee
should consider the desirableness of steps being taken to remove
whatever difficulties have been found to interfere with the assumed
success of a system which (although the Vestry appear to have been
informed otherwise) the Managers aa a body have never in any way
recognised, is not one which the General .Purposes Committee are at
present disposed to recommend the Managers to entertain."
With reference to the above letter, I may be permitted briefly
to observe—