View report page

35
Treatment and Prevention of Tuberculosis.
Circular letters were issued by the Local Government
Board in May and July last respecting the distribution
of the sum which has been set apart by Parliament for
the purpose of the provision of, or making grants in aid
of sanatoria and other institutions for the treatment of
tuberculosis, and the subsequent maintenance of those
institutions. With their letter of May 14th the Board
enclosed a copy of the interim report of the Departmental
Committee on Tuberculosis, and stated that they
unhesitatingly endorsed the opinion of the Committee
that the organisation of schemes throughout the country
can best be carried out if undertaken by the local
authorities, and that any scheme, which is to form the
basis of an attempt to deal with the problem of
tuberculosis, should be made available for the whole
community.
Briefly, the recommendations were, that for the prevention,
detection and treatment of the disease existing
public health administration should be supplemented
by the establishment of two units linked up to the
general public health work now carried on, and working
in harmony with the general practitioners, these units
being—(a) Sanatoria or other institution in which inpatient
treatment is given; (b) the Tuberculosis Dispensary.
In London, as regards residential treatment, it is
desirable that the London County Council should arrange
for the provision of the accommodation required, but as
regards the Tuberculosis Dispensary, the Metropolitan
Borough Councils should provide or arrange for the
provision of the institution. In Fulham a Dispensary for
the prevention of tuberculosis was opened at 632, Fulham
Road, in November, 1911, which was approved by the
Local Government Board under Section 16 (b) of the
National Insurance Act, and as the Committee of Management
of the Dispensary were anxious that it should
be maintained, the Council were advised to enter
into an arrangement with them to that effect, and to