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by such person." As to whether the words "without proper lodging or accommodation"
contained in Section 65, may be construed as having the meaning of
"lodging or accommodation in which proper precautions could not be taken to
prevent the spreading of the disease " is open to question.
There is no ambiguity, however, as to the powers given for the removal of persons
suffering from dangerous infectious diseases in the Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897.
Section 54 (1) of that Act lays it down that "a person suffering from any dangerous
infectious disease who is without proper lodging or accommodation, or is so lodged
that proper precautions cannot be taken for preventing the spread of the disease, or
is lodged in a room occupied by others besides those necessarily in
attendance on such person may on a certificate signed by the medical
officer or other legally qualified medical practitioner be removed
by order of a justice."
Considering the public health interests of a vast city like the Metropolis there
ought not to be any ambiguity with respect to the power of enforcing the removal to
hospital of persons suffering from dangerous infectious disease, when necessary, and it
would be well if the 66th Section of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, were
re-modelled on the lines of the 54th Section of the recent Scottish Act.
METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.
The cases of infectious disease which are received into the hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board include small-pox, scarlet fever, 'fever' (enteric,
continued, and typhus), and diphtheria. The number of cases of these diseases
notified in Shoreditch was 1,099, and the number removed to the Hospitals of the
Board was 785, being a percentage of 71.4 as compared with 65 in 1896, 57.7 in 1895,
and 61.0 in 1894. The percentages would, without doubt, have been larger, had there
not been difficulty in obtaining the 'prompt removal of cases of scarlet fever and
diphtheria, owing to the exhaustion of the accommodation of the Board's hospitals.
New cases could only be admitted as vacancies occurred, and preference was given to
the most urgent cases. In Shoreditch, there were many urgent cases which were
obliged to wait several days before admission could be obtained. The difficulty in
securing the prompt removal of cases lasted from August to the end of November, and
numerous complaints were received from persons anxious to secure the removal of
their infectious sick. The Public Health Committee directed a letter to be sent to
the Board expressing their opinion that additional accommodation for infectious cases
was urgently required, and ought to be provided by the Managers of the Board with as
little delay as possible. A reply, dated October 25th, 1897, was received to the effect
that the Managers had added over 1,000 beds during the past four years to their
available accommodation for fever and diphtheria patients; that another 548 beds
would be added when the Park Hospital was opened, and that it was anticipated
that the Grove Hospital would be completed in the summer of 1898, when further