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Sanitary Authorities, as we have seen, "want" compulsory
notification, and doubtless would "put to effective use the knowledge
which the system would afford." It is reasonable to
hope, therefore, that the desired power will be conferred.
That Parliament would be asked to take the subject into
consideration was inferred from a speech made by the
President at Sheffield on 30th January last, in which he said
"that it was now for the Government to consider whether an
Act compelling the notification of infectious disease should not
be passed for the whole country," and that "if he could see his
way to bring in a Bill of that kind, he should endeavour to do
so." This satisfactory announcement, it may be mentioned, closed
observations upon the epidemic of small-pox then in progress at
Sheffield—an epidemic which would have been more manageable
had the system of compulsory notification been in force.
Hitherto (May) the Government have not taken any action
in the matter in Parliament, but Mr. Hastings, Mr. Francis
Powell, and other members, introduced a Bill entitled "Public
Health (Prevention of Infectious Diseases), &c.," which was
ordered to be printed 20th March last. It is described as
a "Bill to amend the Public Health Act, 1875, so as to make
further provision for the prevention of Infectious Diseases, and
for other purposes," and the preamble states it to be "expedient
to amend the provisions of the Public Health Act, 1875, so as
to provide for the notification and more effectual prevention of
Infectious Diseases," and the "Act" is to be "construed as one
with the Public Health Act, 1875." The Public Health Act,
1875, does not apply to London, and the Bill as drafted would
exclude the Metropolis from its operation. Your Vestry,
therefore, communicated more than once with Mr. Hastings,
calling his attention to this fact, and expressing a desire that
the measure should be made applicable to London. At the
present writing, however (June 21st), no reply has been
received, nor has the Bill been read a second time.