The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 (V. 3)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ...to hospitals in the public cabs. It-will be recollected, also, that some little time ago a schoolboy with scarlet fever was conveyed in a first-class carriage of a railway. Public attention has, over and over again, been called to this practice, but the attempt at legislation failed. The failure appears to have been due to au endeavour to include too much in the Bill. It might, we imagine, be sufficient to enact that a penalty shall lie against any person who knowiugly conveyed, or permitted to be conveyed, in a public carriage, a person whom there are reasonable grounds for believing to be sick, to any hospital devoted to the reception of persons suffering from small-pox or fever. Although such an enactment would not altogether do away with the danger to which the public are now exposed, it would get rid of a great deal of it. Parishes, too, should tie required to keep proper carriages for such purposes. Some of the London parishes do so now; they are empowered to incur the expense, if they think fit, under the 23rd and 24th Vict., c. 77, sect. 12. But although Parliament might fairly be asked to improve our laws relating to the prevention of disease, there is still a good deal that may and ought to be done in other quarters. We are speaking now of contagious diseases; and the first thing that occurs to us is the custom of our great metropolitan hospitals of refusing to admit such cases into their wards. Of course, cases of infectious fevers could not be mingled with ordinary cases of disease, but it is worth an inquiry whether the noble establishments we refer to are altogether fulfilling the objects of their foundation, so long as no portion of their princely endowments is devoted to the arrest of disease amongst the poor in their...