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86
the police when enquiry should be made of him. The several
Authorities accepted the duty proposed to be laid upon them,
agreeing to disinfect and certify, either without charge, or on
payment of a nominal fee. A similar communication having
been addressed to the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and referred
to the Ambulance Committee, the Committee reported,—after
consultation with the Chief Surgeon of Metropolitan Police
(Dr. MacKellar) and the Chief Inspector of the Public Carriage
Office,—and in the result the Assistant Commissioner was
informed:
(a) "That the Managers are not prepared to undertake the
disinfection of public vehicles, as they are of opinion that
such disinfection cannot be efficiently performed owing to
the visual construction of those vehicles;
(b) "That the Managers consider that the conveyance of
tious cases by public vehicles should be prohibited by law;
(c) "That the Managers already possess the machinery for the
prompt and economical removal of infectious cases, but do
not at present appear to have power to use their Ambulances
for other cases than those contemplated by the Poor Law
Act of 1879; and
(d) " That the Managers will be willing to co-operate with the
Commissioner of Police, with the view of obtaining for
the Board the power to undertake the general removal of
infectious cases in the Metropolis."
I quite concur in the view that " conveyance of infectious
cases by public vehicles should be prohibited by law," but before
effect can be given to such a proposition, provision must be
made for the conveyance of infectious cases by the Managers,
or other constituted authority, in public ambulances. In the
absence of a proper service of public a mbulances great difficulty
is experienced in obtaining a suitable carriage for the conveyance
of an infectious private patient, and hence the improper
and dangerous practice of using public vehicles. Animated by
a sense of the danger of this practice, I put myself into communication
with the Board, 12th December, 1884, suggesting
for the consideration of the Managers, ''whether it would not