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over, of informing everybody entitled to information —the Superintendent,
the Visitors (who are thus kept away from infected
houses) and the Head Teachers themselves; and that just as
quickly as if the Medical Officer had the trouble of making
separate reports of individual cases. What more, what better could
be desired?
COMPULSORY REMOVAL TO HOSPITAL OF THE
INFECTIOUS SICK.
This may be effected by Justice's Order, upon the certificate of
a registered medical practitioner, if the patient be "without proper
lodging or accommodation." But it has been held that the fitness
of the lodging or accommodation, is to be considered only as it
affects the patient himself, and without any reference to the
welfare of the other inhabitants of the dwelling-house wherein he
lies. The Conference of the Sanitary Authorities, convened by
your Vestry in 1881, on the subject of Notification, dealt with
this question of compulsory removal also, having passed a resolution
to the effect that the law, as it stands, is "insufficient for the
protection of the public health," and should be "so amended as
to empower any Justice to direct the removal to a hospital
of any person suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder,
and being without proper lodging or accommodation which would
enable him to be properly isolated, so as to prevent the spread of
disease to other inmates of the same house, or to be properly
treated." My own view that such an alteration of the law is
necessary, is just as strong now as when I drafted the above
resolution.
PROSPECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH LEGISLATION.
The President of the Local Government Board introduced
two Bills in February of the present year, intended to put the law
relating to Public Health on a more satisfactory footing, by
consolidation of existing statutes and by necessary amendments.