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10
No cases were notified under the Voluntary System of Notification.
Under the Poor Law (1908) Regulations, 14 cases were notified,
12 being patients in the Union Infirmary, 1 a poor person resident
at North Cray, and another at Farnborough.
Sixteen notifications were received under the Public Health
(Tuberculosis in Hospitals) Regulations, 1911, were received from
various Sanatoria, of patients resident in this District.
Disinfection is thoroughly carried out in all necessary cases
and after deaths, and disinfectants freely supplied as required.
Printed instructions are also given to patients and those in charge.
Under the Poor Law Regulations, 1908, phthisis was made compulsorily
notifiable among poor persons, and by the Tuberculosis in
Hospitals Regulations, 1911, all persons suffering from the disease
and being treated in hospitals and sanatoria are required to be notified.
By the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1911, dated
15th November, 1911. all cases of phthisis are compulsorily
notifiable as from January 1st, 1912, medical men and
school medical inspectors being required to notify to the Medical
Officer of Health of the District in which the patient is resident or
the school is situate—as the case may be—all cases coming to his
notice within 48 hours, with the exception of cases which have been
previously notified. (See Art. 4.)
Art. 9 gives special powers to Councils to "do such Acts and
make such arrangements as may be necessary "in supplying medical
or other assistance, facilities and articles for detecting and for preventing
infection, etc., including power to appoint officers to carry
out the work, and also to supply literature, etc.
These Regulations do not affect or interfere with the Poor Law
or the Hospital Regulations, which remain in force as heretofore.
(Art. 10.)
By Art. 13, Medical Officers of Health or Councils are not required
to take any action in respect of patients notified, where such
action would interefere with the patient's occupation, or means of
livelihood, etc., it being deemed advisable to deal with such cases
according to the circumstances under which they arise, with a certain
amount of latitude and discretion.
It will now be a matter for the Council to consider what steps
should be taken to provide accommodation and other means for
treatment of cases of this disease, and in this direction I have
attended several meetings of Medical Officers of Health to consider
and discuss the question generally.
At present it seems to me that the only practical way will be
for the County Authorities to provide an adequate number of sanatoria,
and divide the County into hospital or sanatoria areas.