§ MR. MACDONALDI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board by what authority the chief medical officer at Kensington Infirmary refuses to allow a special visit to an inmate aged 80 unless the inmate is dangerously ill, or unless the clerk to the Guardians intervenes; and why this power is relegated to the clerk of the Union, as the doctor's refusal implies?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER, Wolverhampton, E.)The Local Government Board have been in communication with the Guardians of Kensington, and they are informed that in the particular case which is believed to be referred to in the question the applicant requested leave to visit an inmate of the infirmary, who was in no way related to him, at other than the ordinary visiting times fixed by the Guardians, and that the medical officer withheld consent as there appeared to be no special reason for making an exception to the ordinary rule. Knowing, however, that there had been considerable correspondence between the applicant and the Guardians as regards 284 similar requests, the medical officer referred him to the clerk to the Guardians if he was dissatisfied with his decision. The clerk states that it would only be under extremely exceptional circumstances, to be subsequently reported to the Guardians, that he would feel justified in interfering with the medical officer's discretion in such a matter.