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Hospital Authorities, who send the names and addresses of patients
whose consent has been previously obtained to the Medical Officer
of Health of the first-mentioned body, who in turn forwards the
information to the Medical Officer of Health of the district concerned.
Facilities for bacteriological examination of sputum from
suspected cases are provided free to medical practitioners by the
Council.
The methods adopted by other Municfpalities in the United
Kingdom are, in the majority of cases, similar to those carried
on in Battersea, together with a voluntary system of notification
in several instances. For the information of the Committee, I
have tabulated the replies to my queries received from the Medical
Officers of Health of the various Cities and Boroughs of the
United Kingdom to whom 1 have applied.
Taking the Metropolis first, out of the 28 London Boroughs,
in 18 voluntary notification is in operation. In only two are
spittoons supplied gratuitously, while in two others arrangements
are made to have them supplied in necessitous cases. In one
Borough—Southwark—they have not supplied any for some years.
Disinfection is carried out in practically all the Boroughs in known
cases where permission is given, or on request of the occupier.
In addition to these measures, visits by Sanitary Inspectors, either
male or female, are made to the homes of patients notified by
Sanitary Authorities, and these methods practically comprise
everything that is done by Metropoli an Sanitary Authorities in
connection with the disease.
In the provinces, from the tabulated return received from the
various Cities and Boroughs, there appears to be a considerable
diversity in the preventive measures in use. Taking England
and Wales, I find that in 24 out of 31 towns, with populations
of 100,000 and upwards, a system of voluntary notification is in
operation, and in one case (Sheffield), by a special (local) Act,
compulsory notification has been in force since 1904. In Birmingham,
the Health Committee of the Corporation have decided to