View report page

59
The system of compulsory notification of consumption, that was
introduced by the Local Government Board in their Regulations of
1908, has now been completed by the Public Health(Tuberculosis)
Regulations, 1911, which came into operation on January 1st, 1912, and
make all cases of consumption compulsorily notifiable. From the
present year, therefore, sanitary authorities will be in a much better
position than has hitherto been the case to form an idea of the
prevalence and distribution of consumption in their districts.
The Regulations not only bring into operation the general
compulsory notification of consumption; they confer upon sanitary
authorities important powers for the prevention of the disease.
Article ix. provides that:—
"For the purposes of these Regulations and of the Poor Law
Regulations and of the Hospital Regulations a Council, on
the advice of their Medical Officer of Health, may supply
all such medical or other assistance, and all such facilities
and articles as may reasonably be required for the detection
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, and for preventing the spread of
infection and for removing conditions favourable to infection,
and for that purpose may appoint such officers, do such
acts and make such arrangements as may be necessary."
These powers are in addition to those contained in section 75 of
the Public Health(London) Act, 1891, which enable a sanitary
authority to provide sanatorium accommodation.
The position of the Borough Council in relation to the prevention
of consumption has been greatly modified by the Regulations and
also by the Finance Act, 1911, and the National Insurance Act, and
it is important that the Council should now consider what preventive
measures should be adopted in addition to those already in operation,
In order to form an idea of the extent of the measures required we
may refer to such evidence as is available of the prevalence of consumption
in Hampstead. The following table gives the number of
deaths from all forms of tuberculosis and from consumption, and the
cases of Hampstead consumptives notified for the first time in each year
since 1902:—