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said hospitals, and that you may find it practicable to introduce in the
Autumn Session of Parliament a measure enabling the Board to issue an
Order authorising the Managers to receive such cases."
A copy of the above letter was forwarded to the Asylums
Board and to the several Vestries and District Boards of
Works ; to the Medical Officers of Health acting 'within the
Metropolis and to the Boards of Guardians—who are equally
interested with the Sanitary Authorities in this matter—
requesting their co-operation.
In the letter addressed to the Asylums Board (October
5th), it was stated that your Vestry
" Have noted with satisfaction the steps taken by the Managers in reference
to this matter, and hope that their own action, which they intend to
make known to the other Sanitary Authorities, may contribute to bring about
a much needed alteration of the law."
The letter to the Vestries, &c., was as follows :~
" Sib,—I am directed by the Kensington Vestry to forward, for the
information of your Board, copy of a communication they have addressed to
the President of the Local Government Board on the subject of Hospital
Accommodation for persons suffering from diphtheria and being in need of
isolation.
" As you are probably aware, the Managers of the Asylums Board are
willing to admit cases of this disease to their hospitals, subject to the
approval of the Local Government Board. But the Board state that they
cannot issue the necessary Order to authorise the reception of such cases
' without express legislation for the purpose.' The Vestry, it will be observed,
invite the President of the Local Government Board to propose such legislation,
and should your Board coincide in the views expressed in the Vestry's
letter to the President, their co-operation would doubtless strengthen the
hands of the President—there being no reason for supposing that the Local
Government Board are adverse to the admission of cases of diphtheria into
the hospitals under the control of the Managers."
Many of the Vestries, etc., signified their concurrence
with the views of your Vestry, and addressed communications to
the Local Government Board in support thereof.
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