View report page

50
directly or indirectly, of the ratepayers, and the payment of
rates should entitle to the protection, by isolation of the sick,
which they afford.
ARE LOCAL HOSPITALS NECESSARY OR
DESIRABLE.
Upon no subject, perhaps, has more unwisdom been
uttered than upon that of local hospitals for the " nonpauper
" infectious sick, for whom it is said the Sanitary
Authorities should make provision. Constant reference has been
made to the permissive powers conferred on the Nuisance Authori
ties by sec 37 of the Sanitary Act, 1866, to provide hospitals " for
the reception of the sick," and blame has been freely bestowed on
those Authorities for their neglect to do so. But,as I have so often
pointed out, the necessity for local hospitals was superseded by the
enactment of the Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867, under the provisions
of which hospitals adequate for the requirements of the
population have been erected by the Asylums Board; the whole
Metropolis for this purpose being constituted a single "District."
It is admitted that from the very beginning these "pauper"
hospitals have furnished accommodation out of all proportion to
the needs of the "pauper" class. Substantially they have been
regarded and used as hospitals for the poor of all classes. The
only blot upon them was that admission nominally pauperised
the patients. This blot was removed in 1 883, by the Diseases
Prevention (Metropolis) Act of that year. Now, had the Sanitary
Authorities built hospitals and taken in all "non-paupers," the
first and enduring effect would have been to empty the "pauper"
hospitals. The said Authorities might possibly have obtained
power to take over the hospitals, and so provided for all the
infectious sick. But there exists no means of compelling them to
unite for the purpose. The work, moreover, can be properly done
by a Central Authority only, and the only body at present
existing capable of exercising the powers of a Central Authority
is the Asylums Board ; and admirably—as regards provision of
hospitals—have they done the work entrusted to them, The only