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44
Preventive Measures-—During 1900 the Public Health Committee
inaugurated the following arrangements with a view to
combating Phthisis as much as possible.
1. Part iii. of the Medical Officer's Special Report was reprinted
in pamphlet form and 10,000 copies were circulated
throughout the district. Arrangements were also initiated
to hold a public meeting with the view of informing public
opinion as to the prevalence and preventability of the
disease.* There can be doubt at all as to the urgent
importance of taking all possible steps to create a well
informed public opinion concerning Consumption. After
all, the most effective measures of prevention are in the
hands of the public, and particularly the patient and his
friends and neighbours.
2. Voluntary Notification was also established. The following
letter was sent to every medical practitioner in
Clerkenwell : —
Town Hall, Clerkenwell,
Rosebery Avenue, E.C.
Dear Sir,
I am happy to inform you that the Vestry has now confirmed the decision
of the Public Health Committee to carry out various measures for the prevention
of Phthisis. I have already set forth the reasons for the measures proposed, in
the Special Report, a copy of which has been sent to you.
I beg, therefore, to invite you to co-operate with me in notifying cases of
acute Phthisis (with muco-purulent discharge or infective sputum from the lungs)
occurring in your practice, where in your opinion public good can be achieved
by such notification. I may remind you that even though in the individual case
under your care no further precautions and no sanitary improvements are
required, the official knowledge of your case may direct my attention to "infected
areas," and possibly be the means of facilitating important sanitary reforms.
The Public Health Committee consider that such notifications, although
completely voluntary, should be placed on the same basis, as regards payment,
that holds good for notifications under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891;
and the Vestry have now agreed to this for an experimental period, of the termination
of which due notice will be given to you in the event of its being
decided not to continue the experiment.
* This Public Meeting was held under the auspices of the Metropolitan
Borough of Finsbury, on February 22nd, 1901. The Mayor of Finsbury (Enos
Howes, Esq , J.P.) presided, and addresses were given by Sir William Broadbent,
M.D., F.R.S , Sir James Crichton Browne, M.D., F.R.S., and Prof. MacFadyean.