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23
These inevitable causes of non-notification reduce the number of
cases not notified by doctors to about 10 to 15 per cent.
By inquiry among medical practitioners, I have been given the
following reasons why cases ere not notified, or notification is delayed:—
(a) Some medical men prefer to wait until a positive sputum result is
obtained; (b) the belief by the doctors that the case has been previously
notified by some other practitioner.
The tendency of both the incidence and death-rate from tuberculosis
is slowly downwards, and the time seems to have arrived when
other efforts might be made in (he work of coping with this disease.
A much needed provision is an institution for advanced eases;
this would be practically a Home for the dying though some other
name, such as Home of Rest would be advisable. It is imperative that
the advanced and highly infectious case should be removed from its
close association with other people ; at present the dealing with this
class of case is often most difficult.
Also I am of opinion that much good would ensue from the
establishment of an open-air school for delicate md suspected children.
I believe that such a school would prove of great utility. I should
like to see every child, who is under observation by the Tuberculosis
Medical Officer as a "suspect," sent to such a school until the
suspicion is removed or the reason for the delicacy ascertained.
Prolonged attendance at the Dispensary would be unnecessary as
the child would be kept under observation at School.