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this offence. In reply to this letter the master stated (1) that he was not
aware that the man was suffering from erysipelas, and (2) that he was
ignorant of the regulation requiring notification. He further expressed his
regret that, through want of knowledge, he had committed any breach of
regulations. Taking into consideration the extreme likelihood of a master
being entirely ignorant of the nature of erysipelas, and of his regarding it
simply as an injury, I have advised your Worshipful Committee that a
warning would be sufficient, and that no further proceedings be taken in the
matter.
DIPHTHERIA.
I have to call attention to the fact that diphtheria is one of the diseases
now admitted to the Metropolitan Asylums Board's Hospitals. For some
time pressure (led chiefly by the Vestry of Kensington) has been brought to
bear upon the managers to induce them to admit cases of this disease, which
was gradually gaining ground in London.
A communication from the Kensington Vestry was sent to every Sanitary
Authority in the Metropolis, asking them to support an application to the
Local Government Board to bring in a Bill giving the Metropolitan Asylums
Board power to admit diphtheria.
The managers stated that they were willing to admit such cases with the
sanction of the Local Government Board, but that the Board felt unable to
give this sanction.
Eventually, after the managers had considered the question of Hospital
accommodation, and stated that they were prepared to cope with the disease,
the Local Government Board announced that, although they had no legal
power to give sanction, still such cases might be at once admitted ; and that,
pending the obtaining of formal authority from Parliament, the managers would
be indemnified against proceedings for illegal expenditure of public money.
COMPULSORY NOTIFICATION.
The great advantage of notification of infectious disease in any district is
now too well realized to be any longer a matter for discussion, and the only
difficulty is the machinery by which it can best be effected.
Notification becomes of more vital importance in dealing with disease on
board ship, when every case may become the starting point of a fresh
outbreak to an extent scarcely realizable on shore.
D