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90
mittee of the British Medical Association, who urged “That the
local authorities should not have the power of imposing the duty
of compulsory notification on medical practitioners." The
Committee in taking this step, was acting upon a resolution
carried, at the Jubilee Meeting of the Association, held at
Worcester in 1882, to the effect:—
“That this meeting earnestly desires compulsory notification of infectious
diseases, but it wishes to express its opinion that the compulsion to
notify should be placed upon the householder, as his duty as a citizen,
and not upon the doctor.”
Beyond the fact that Parliament signified its continued
approval of the principle of notification by passing the “Model
Clauses” in certain Local Acts, in the Session of 1884, nothing
has to be added to the above statement; and although compulsory
notification is urgently required for the public good, it is probable
we shall have to wait for a more settled state of political affairs
before the present, or any future Government, will be prepared todeal
with the subject in a General Act. Meanwhile it is well to
be reminded that the Sanitary Authorities of London have
expressed themselves unequivocally in favour of the principle of
notification, and it may be mentioned that their action was taken
under the lead of your Vestry.*
[Addendum.—In the course of the present year, your Vestry
made Regulations for Houses let in Lodgings, or occupied by
members of more than one family. The 16th and 17th Regulations,
as may be seen in a later part of this Report, require
“Notification of infectious diseases” to be given to the Medical
Officer of Health by the “keeper” and by any lodger in a
"registered house," under section 47 of the Sanitary Law
Amendment Act, 1874, which provides for "Notices to be given
and precautions to be taken in case of any dangerously infectious
or contagious disease under the powers of this Act, or of the
principal Act (i.e., "Sanitary Act, 1866), or of the Acts mentioned
therein."
* Vide Annual Eeport for 1882, page 69 et seq.