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By a further resolution the several Vestries and District
Boards were invited to send delegates to a Conference, with a
view to joint action to promote legislation; and a Memorandum
on the subject, which I had prepared, was sent to every member
of each of the Sanitary Authorities, together with draft
resolutions, so that these bodies might decide upon the course
proper to be taken, with full knowledge of the views of vour
Vestry.
The Conference was held March 23rd, 1881, twenty-four
Vestries and District Boards being directly represented by
delegates, and other six by their Medical Officers of Health.
Twenty-three Medical Officers of Health were present. The
Conference unanimously adopted the drafted resolution on
Notification as follows:—
"That, in the interests of Public Health, and to enable Nuisance
Authorities to discharge the duty of checking and preventing the spread of
Infectious Diseases, such as Small-Pox, Fever, &c., provision should be made
by legislative enactment to secure the Compulsory disclosure to the said
Authorities of all cases of such Diseases immediately upon their occurrence."
The other proposed resolutions, in favour of free hospital
treatment of infectious diseases, depauperisation of medical
relief in infectious disease hospitals, and maintenance of the
hospitals out of the Common Poor Fund, were also unanimously
adopted by the Conference, and it may be said, by way of
parenthesis, that all of the objects sought to be obtained have
now been secured, practically, save only Compulsory Notification
of Infectious Diseases.
Copies of the resolutions were directed to be forwarded to
the several Vestries and District Boards, to the Commissioners
of Sewers, to the Council of the British Medical Association, to
the Council of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, to the
Council of the Social Science Association, to the Managers of
the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and to the several Boards of
Guardians. The Vestries and District Boards were invited to
appoint delegates to take part in a deputation to the Local
Government Board to present the resolutions; the other