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50
The system of notification commenced in 1909 is
now complete, and every case of Tubercular Phthisis
should be known to, and kept under observation by, a
Public Health Authority.
The fees payable to medical men for the notification
certificates are identical with those set out in Sec. 55
of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, that is to say
2s. 6d. to a private medical practioner, and 1s. to
Hospital and Poor Law Medical Officers. No provision,
however, is made to re-imburse the Borough Councils
for the expense so incurred, which will fall wholly upon
the local rates.
The object in requiring these notifications, is for
the purpose of preventing the spread of Tuberculosis.
Every case reported must be visited, a note taken of
the conditions under which the sick person lives, and
such instructions and advice given as is necessary or
desirable for preventing the spread of the disease, and
for removing conditions favourable to infection.
Apart from isolation of advanced cases, the methods
available for preventing the spread of Tuberculosis
are:—
(1) Advice and instructions to the patient and his
friends as to the usual hygienic precautions
which are well known, and are unnecessary
to be detailed here.
(2) Such measures as tend to improve the general
sanitary condition of a district. The close
association between bad housing and the
prevalence of tuberculosis is common