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(5) That the present existing provision of hospitals for
pulmonary phthisis (consumption) in London is totally
inadequate, and that, in connection with such provision as
there is, great difficulty and consequent delay is experienced
in obtaining admittance thereto, more especially when, as
usually is the case, the "letter" system prevails, rendering it
necessary for patients not only to have to wait long for their
turn, and so lose the advantage of special and valuable treatment
in the early stage of the disease, but also to find that,
when admitted, they are rarely kept in hospital long enough
to obtain a cure.
(6) That the pressing need for the moment is the
provision of a hospital or hospitals in the country for the
treatment of persons in the acute and curable stage of
the disease.
(7) That, having regard to the provision now made, or
which could be made, in separate wards at the various Poor
Law Infirmaries, the chronic cases might, for the present at
any rate, be kept in town, where they could be visited by
their friends.
(8) That the need for sanatoria arises from the fact that
it is practically impossible to treat poor persons in their own
homes, or in Poor Law Infirmaries, in London with any
reasonable hope of cure.
(9) That the great bulk of the cases occur amongst the
poor and the poorest classes of the people, who are unable to
make any contribution towards the expenses incident to
sanatorium treatment.
N.B. —In 1899 (the only year for which reliable statistics are
available) a third of the deaths in London from pulmonary
phthisis (consumption) occurred in Poor Law Institutions.
Many of these sufferers might have been cured, could they
have obtained sanatorium treatment at the beginning of
their illnesses and a large amount of poverty and charge
on the rates have been thereby avoided. It is well known