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23
they will be supported by public opinion in their efforts, although
the cost to the District has been so large. It had been the
practice of the Board to burn all infected bedding, &c., that
had been in use by patients suffering from small-pox and
other infectious diseases, but, owing to the difficulties often experienced
in cases where it has been found impossible to burn
the articles in the yard or. garden attached to the premises, by
reason or the near contiguity of the surrounding houses, and
having in view the danger incurred by the public when the
goods were conveyed through the public streets to some suitable
place for destruction, the Board, after inquiries and inspection
of the various apparatus in use at hospitals, workhouses, &c.,
determined upon having erected at the stone wharf, "Chancellors,"
a disinfecting chamber, of a similar character to one
they had seen in operation at Woolwich, and this work has
been carried out by Messrs. Rosser and Russell, of Queen's
Wharf, Hammersmith, who have also supplied for use, with the
apparatus, an iron vehicle for the conveyance to and from
the Chamber of the bedding, &c. This vehicle is itself run
into the Chamber with its load of bedding, and the sides being
opened, is there left, so that the vehicle, as well as the goods,
is disinfected with each load.
One of the most important difficulties of the Board, in
dealing with an outbreak of infectious diseases, is the difficulty
that exists of obtaining early information of individual cases,
and the Board has memorialized the Home Secretary upon
the subject, suggesting that Her Majesty's Government should
obtain legislative power, making it compulsory upon medical
practitioners and others to give notice to the Local authorities
of the outbreak of every case, so as to enable the Local
authorities to order the necessary precautions to be taken for
the proper isolation of each patient.
prosecution of west.
In connection with the subject of small-pox, the Board
report that it became their painful duty to prosecute a tradesman
(Thomas West), who had been entrusted with orders to supply
to persons whose goods had been burnt, certain articles to
replace those destroyed. From the evidence given at his trial
it was proved that West had been systematically charging the
Board for goods which had not been delivered, and he was
sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.
One of the Board's officers (Clarence W. Keall), late Inspector
of Nuisances for the Parish of Fulham, it is presumed