View report page

61
1.—Consumption is an infectious disease, and every consumptive
patient with expectoration produces the infection on a large
scale. But the infection can readily be rendered harmless if
the patient can be induced to adopt certain simple precautions.
2.—Susceptibility to infection is greatly increased if the persons
exposed to infection live under conditions of privation and
insanitation.
3.—In the early stage of the disease there is often a good prospect
that the patient may be cured if properly treated.
From these considerations it is evident that it is most important
that the disease should be recognised at the earliest possible moment, not
only that the patient may have a good prospect of cure, but also that he
may have timely instruction in the precautions necessary to prevent the
spread of infection to others.
The best method of securing the early recognition of the disease
is the establishment of the institution known as the Tuberculosis
Dispensary, but which is preferably designated the Tuberculosis Clinic.
In places where such a Clinic has been established it has been found
that it has brought to light many cases of consumption that were not
even suspected, and but for the Clinic would probably have not been
recognised until the disease hud reached a comparatively advanced stage.
The chief features of the work of the Tuberculosis Clinic are as
follows : —
1.—To examine medically the inmates of a house in which a case
of consumption lias occurred in order to ascertain whether
any inmate has been infected.
2.—To instruct the patients in the necessary precautions against
the spread of infection.
3.—To keep under medical supervision those patients who are unable
to aiford the proluiiged medical attendance required in the
case of a chronic disease like consumption.
It has been found that the work of instructing a patient in the
necessary precautions is much facilitated if he can be treated in a
sanatorium for some weeks where he can be taught how to dispose of