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69
HOSPITALS COMMISSION.
In 1881, a Royal Commission was appointed to consider the
question of Hospital Accommodation for Infectious Diseases, and
I was invited to give evidence. The Commission made a number
of "Practical Recommendations" in their Report (1882), which
were in accord with the principles in regard to public health administration
for which I had long contended. Among these may be
mentioned : (1) Compulsory notification of all cases of infectious
disease; (2) compulsory removal of the sick when necessary for
isolation ; (3) unity in Hospital Administration, and representation
of the sanitary authorities on the Hospital Board ; (4)
separation of hospital treatment from all connection with poorrelief,
or, in other words, abolition of distinction of Pauper and
Non-pauper, in respect of the treatment of infectious diseases;
(5) free hospital treatment of infectious diseases, with pay-wards
for those who desire special or separate accommodation; (6) provision
of additional hospitals in London, with skeleton staff of
doctors, nurses, and other officers, capable of extension so as to
cope with all emergencies; (7) provision of hospitals in the
country for removable cases of small-pox, and for the reception of
convalescents generally; (8) transference of vaccination arrangements
to the hospital, i.e., the sanitary authority. Previous
sections of this report will have shewn to how large an extent, in
practice, my views have already been carried out. Parliamentary
sanction, I doubt not, will sooner or later be given to those other
recommendations, which are as yet in advance of the present
state of public opinion.
A RETROSPECT.
"Reform" of Local Government, as carried out by the
Vestries and District Boards, being to all appearance near at
hand, it will not be out of place here to review, in a very few
sentences, the results, as they are indicated by the state of the
public health, attained under the system initiated in 1856 by