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public opinion on the subject since 1881, when your Vestry led
the van in the first great effort of the Metropolitan sanitary authorities
to procure legislation; an effort which appeared to have
failed completely when a similar measure was shelved, in the
debate on the second reading, by a count-out, in 1883. Still, as
events have proved, there was a steady, if slow, progress in the
growth of opinion, and your Vestry selected a happy moment, in
1887, for approaching the President of the Local Government
Board on the subject, and inducing the other sanitary authorities
to endorse the request then made for the introduction
of a general measure providing for notification. By a fortunate
accident, Mr. Ritchie had occasion to visit and speak at Sheffield
in January, 1888, when a terrible epidemic of small-pox was
raging there, which served to convince him of the necessity for
a measure, the passing of which will in future years be regarded
as not the least of his titles to public gratitude. For myself, I
shall always look back with satisfaction to the part I have
been permitted to take in contributing to the success of this great
sanitary movement, and with grateful recollection of the undeviating
support of my efforts by your Vestry.
The Local Government Board, in pursuance of the power
given by Section 4, issued an order prescribing the form of
certificate to be used by medical practitioners, and required to be
sent to the Medical Officer of Health; they also prepared a
memorandum for the information of medical practitioners, setting
out the duties imposed on them by the Act. The substance of
the memorandum, embodied in a circular letter of instructions,
was sent by your Vestry to every medical practitioner in the
Parish in October.
The form of the prescribed certificate was thought to be
susceptible of improvement, and the Asylums Board made representations
to the Local Government Board on the subject,