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" Two hundred and sixteen of the 252 notifications, and 154 of the 214 deaths, were of
persons belonging to North Kensington ; whilst 184 of the notifications were from three wards,
viz.:—St. Charles (30), Golborne (52), Norland (102); 132 of the deaths (34, 47, and 51, respectively)
belonged to the same wards, the population of which is but little over 73,000.
" The proportion of deaths from phthisis at the Workhouse Infirmary to deaths from this
cause in the Borough, as a whole, was, as usual, large : 72 out of 214; males 44 and females 28.
Fifty-nine of these deaths were of North Kensington persons and 13 of South Kensington persons.
"The notified infirmary cases were 143; males 89, females 54: 118 of North Kensington
persons and 25 of South Kensington persons.! Seventy cases were notified by the district
medical officers, the majority of which were subsequently removed to the Infirmary. There was
an increase in private notifications during the year; thirty-one cases (23 of them in North
Kensington), having been reported by other than Poor Law Medical Officers. Eight cases were
brought to our knowledge by Hospital Almoners, or the Charity Organization Society.
" Patients residing at home (averaging 50 in number) were kept under observation, and
visited as frequently as practicable. Disinfection after the death of a sufferer, or after removal of a
patient from one abode to another, was offered, and usually accepted ; the refusals being fewer
than in the previous year.
" We noted continued improvement in the ventilation of sick rooms by open windows; and
an increased appreciation of the value of fresh air to phthisical persons, and of the danger arising
from indiscriminate spitting.
" In a large majority of the cases, the disease was in an advanced stage when notified, the
sufferers continuing to work for the support of their families, and having refused to see a doctor till
absolutely compelled. We are more than ever impressed with the need lor a sanatorium to which
sufferers could be removed in the early stage of the disease. This, however, could not be brought
about without provision being made for the support of families during the period devoted to
isolation.
"At times, the work makes us almost despair, brought, as we are, face to face with patients
needing isolation and nourishment, and looking to us, hopefully but in vain, to obtain for them
these requisites indispensable to successful treatment."
Tables illustrative of the Lady Inspectors' work amongst consumptives in the five years,
are subjoined. Attention may be drawn to the table (at p. 56); which bears eloquent testimony
to the fact that consumption is a disease of the poor. Of the 386 cases investigated in 1906,
only ten were of persons in a more or less well-to-do position—their illness had not been notified—
all of them died; the remainder belonging to classes of the population able to contribute little,
if anything, towards the cost of sanatorium treatment.
• These 39 persons had resided at 13 common lodging-houses ; including 7 in one house and 4 each in other 4 houses.
Most, if not all, of them were removed to the borough Infirmary.
† I am indebted to Dr. Potter for an interesting account of the work at the Infirmary in relation to the treatment of
tuberculosis in 1906. The male patients were 137, the female patients 88; including 58 males, and 16 females, who were
under treatment at the beginning of the year. No active phthisical cases among adults are now treated in the general wards of
the Infirmary, or in the workhouse ; but children are treated in the general wards. The Guardians have set apart 90 beds—14
of them in the open air—for the treatment of tuberculous cases; 63 for males and 27 for females, all of which are usually
occupied. A very creditable record indeed.