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77
they should place their ambulances at the service of the
medical profession, and Medical Officers of Health, with or
without payment, for the conveyance of infectious sick persons.
The Managers replied that they were, at that time, " not in a
position to undertake the removal of any cases of infectious
disease beyond those which are to be received into hospitals
under their own control." Commenting on this reply in my
Annual Report for 1884, I ventured to express a conviction
that the Managers would, in course of time, recognise the desirableness
of giving effect to my views. That time arrived
in 1888, when the Managers stated their opinion, " that the
conveyance of infectious cases by public vehicles should be
prohibited by law," and expressed willingness to " use the
machinery they possess for the prompt and economical
removal of infectious cases." Having communicated their
altered views to the Local Government Board, the President of
that Board obtained from Parliament the desired powers, in a
section of the Poor Law Act, 1889, which, as already mentioned,
is now incorporated in the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
This Act (section 70) expressly prohibits the conveyance of any
infected person in a public conveyance.
Land Service: Ambulance Stations.—The recommendation
of the Royal Commission on Infectious Hospitals,
that the Asylums Board should have "entire control of the
ambulances, by which all other modes of conveyance should be
as far as possible superseded," has been carried out by the
establishment of ambulance stations at three of the
Managers' Hospitals (Eastern at Homerton, Southeastern
at Deptford, and western at Fulham), under the
provisions of the nov repealed 16th Section of the Poor Law
Act, 1879. Ken ington patients are removed by the
ambulance staff the western station, Seagrave Road,
Fulham. Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., on week-days, cases for
removal are reported at the Managers' Central Offices, Norfolk
House, Norfolk Street, Strand, w.C., these being in telephonic