View report page

59
Tuberculosis Regulations. The Ministry finally suggested that proceedings
might properly be taken with a reasonable likelihood of success
where a practitioner certifies a death is due to tuberculosis, although he
has failed to notify the case prior to death, especially if the Borough
Council have previously taken the steps of informing the practitioners
of their obligation to notify.
It appears to the Minister that prosecution even in one or two
cases of this kind might have a very salutary effect and probably do
much to secure the object which the Borough Council have in view."
The Council decided to draw the attention of practitioners to the
provisions of paragraph 6 of the Circular 194 of the Ministry of Health,
and to inform them that in accordance with the Ministry's view contained
in that letter, the Council will regard any case where death is
registered as due to tuberculosis, which was not notified to the Council
before decease, as wilful neglect or refusal to conform to the Public
Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations 1912, and that action may be taken
in such cases for such neglect.
No doubt a practitioner feels that if he notifies a case of Tuberculosis,
this may give offence to the family concerned. At the same time what
chance has a Local Authority in its efforts to stamp out Tuberculosis
if the practitioner does not notify ?
A Medical Officer of Health is placed in a difficult position with
his brother practitioners. He can either let the matter slip which is,
or ought to be, damaging to his self-respect and his sense of loyalty to
his authority, or else he can do his duty and consequently find trouble
with his fellows in practice. It must be apparent to the Ministry of
Health that the notification of Tuberculosis is not what it ought to be.
Would it not be possible for the Ministry to call for monthly returns
from each authority of deaths from Tuberculosis not notified during
life, and to take proceedings themselves ?