The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 536 - 278 Shocking News_3

Just as Arthur was pondering how to tackle this difficult problem, he suddenly heard a familiar voice in front of him.

It was a face that seemed familiar, dressed sharply in an efficient manner, with a serious expression and impeccably groomed sideburns - this was none other than Mr. Chadwick, the secretary from the Lord Chancellor’s office who had brought good news to Arthur before.

Chadwick first turned his gaze toward Rowan, the chief officer at Arthur’s side, "Inspector Rowan, it’s really good to see you here, saving me the trouble of having someone notify you at Scotland Yard. The emergency health meeting has just concluded, and the Lord Chancellor’s office and the Home Office are planning to hold a joint meeting with the Navy Department, General Post Office, Customs, and Scotland Yard to announce regulatory decisions. You can head to the meeting room first. I believe the High Chancellor and the Home Secretary definitely have words for you."

Upon hearing this, Rowan nodded slightly and said goodbye to Arthur, "Then I’ll head over first. Arthur, you stay here and get a grasp of the situation. After the meeting, come to the meeting room to find us, and remember to bring your report."

"Understood, Chief."

Arthur watched Rowan leave his view and then turned to Chadwick, asking, "Has the final decision been made?"

Chadwick took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Rather than saying a final decision has been made, it’s more like we plan to adopt all the proposals from both parties. Mr. William Pym, the head of the Quarantine Department who was dismissed due to an attack by the chamber of commerce, has been reinstated. He will be transferred to the Privy Council to take charge of formulating a new set of merchant ship quarantine regulations."

Mr. Henry Halford, the chairman of the Central Health Committee, also submitted a report at the just-concluded meeting which in my opinion is quite comprehensive, though it may be challenging to implement."

Arthur, having once served as Bentham’s private secretary, was not overly polite and asked directly, "May I take a look at that report?"

"Of course, no problem. Anyway, it won’t be long before this report is sent to Scotland Yard."

As he spoke, Chadwick handed over the document in his hand to Arthur.

Arthur just glanced at it, and his brow immediately furrowed; he finally understood what Chadwick meant by the difficulty of enforcement.

Aside from reiterating the need to implement strict quarantine and isolation measures to prevent the incursion and spread of cholera, the Central Health Committee’s report also required the government to strictly monitor domestic trade waterways to ensure that all residents along the coast have no dealings with smugglers.

In areas where cholera outbreaks are discovered, special local health committees must be quickly established to handle the isolation of cholera patients or those suspected of being infected.

The specific measures included, but were not limited to:

1. Houses where cholera patients resided or had recently lived must be marked with prominent signs such as "Patient" or "Caution," and without permission from local health authorities, these signs must not be removed.

2. Other people in the house must not go out or communicate with the outside at will. Local authorities must send designated personnel to deliver food and other necessities to the isolated; only when the delivery person has left can those inside go out to retrieve the food.

3. Once patients are moved, the houses and furnishings must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with lime water, and the windows must be kept open for ventilation for at least a week.

4. Those in recovery from cholera or who have had contact with patients must continue to be observed for at least 20 days.

5. Cholera victims must be buried in segregated areas near cholera hospitals.

6. Local magistrates must make every effort to prevent any interaction between the local area and towns or neighboring rural areas where outbreaks have occurred.

Arthur realized upon seeing this report that it was impossible to carry out these measures to the letter.

Regardless of what the members of the House of Commons might think of this report heavy with coercive measures, even if it managed to survive scrutiny there, the British public would at most comply for a week.

In London at least, if the authorities wished for the citizens to adhere for half a month, they would have to deploy the police from Scotland Yard.

If they wanted adherence for a month, they would have to dispatch the Guard Cavalry and the Coldstream Guards stationed in Hyde Park and the Tower of London.

If they wanted adherence for three months, then Arthur could only advise the Army, even writing to the Duke of Wellington, requesting him to revive the large-scale conscription from the Napoleonic Wars.

Arthur took a deep breath and tucked the report into his bag, "Indeed, it’s a very professional report. I understand Mr. Halford’s dedication, but I’d wager that he definitely referred to many of the investigative suggestions of William Rokin and David Barry during their time in Russia. That system works in Russia, but it’s mostly inapplicable here in Britain. The House of Commons elections are approaching their end, and with the push for parliamentary reform, there will certainly be more liberal members elected. I bet that as soon as you deliver this report to the House of Commons, Mr. Halford will soon have to roll off his position as chairman of the Central Health Committee."

Chadwick was also quite troubled by this, as Bentham’s private secretary, he was always a liberal adhering to utilitarian principles, but in the face of an outbreak like cholera, he couldn’t help but lean toward the stringent views typical of the Prussian Government.

He slapped his forehead, "The High Chancellor is also racking his brains over this. Right now, nobody has any good ideas. Everyone wants freedom but doesn’t want cholera to come knocking; there’s no such perfect deal in the world. Although I dislike Russians, I have to admit that they have indeed demonstrated some effectiveness in cholera prevention. That’s why the Central Health Committee has decided to adopt their experience. Therefore, we have to find a way to persuade Parliament to accept this. I’ve been breaking my head over it all day. Arthur, do you have any good suggestions?"