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57
I am indebted to the Medical Superintendent of
the Infirmary, Dr. Potts, for his courtesy in allowing
me access to the records of his cases for the purpose of
this report.
Taking into consideration the large number of
patients who, at the time of their admission to the
Infirmary for treatment were beyond all hope of permanent
improvement from any kind of treatment
whatever, the proportion of 43 per cent. who developed
a restless tendency and left the Infirmary—together
with the fact that a similar percentage of the 14 cases
transferred to other Institutions for treatment may
have shown a similar tendency—indicates the wellknown
fact of the marked propensity of cases of Pulmonary
Tuberculosis to discontent and frequent change.
This tendency is liable to considerably diminish the
benefit derivable from treatment in Institutions such
as Sanatoria, Hospitals and Infirmaries; nevertheless
the educational advantage of even a temporary residence
in such in Institution may prove of great value
both during the patient's stay and after departure
from it, to himself and his family. No amount of
verbal instruction given to a patient can ever teach
the necessary rules of Hygiene so thoroughly as a
practical demonstration of these rules in a well-administered
Institution.
If notification is to be valuable from a Public Health
point of view it is of the utmost importance that the
cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis shall be diagnosed
in the very early stage of the disease. Some steps
might then be taken to induce the patients to secure