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in contact, action taken to obviate infection, to remove insanitarv
conditions, and to aid the patient himself or any additional
persons who may be discovered to be suffering with the disease.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the duties of
your Medical Officer are greatly increased, and it will also be
apparent that some scheme is necessary for providing for the
systematic seeking out and following up of each patient's case,
together with the necessary medical supervision and treatment.
The home conditions must receive attention, disinfection
carried out when necessary, and the members of the patient's
family examined so that the disease may be detected in an
early stage.
Under such a scheme there must be a skilled staff to see
sufferers, not only at a central office but visit them at their
homes, who will carefully examine, treat, and record each case.
At least one trained nurse must be employed to see that the
Medical Officer's instructions are carried out thoroughly.
On December 4th, 1911, your Medical Officer presented
the following Report to the Committee.
The compulsory notification of Phthisis will bring to the
knowledge of your Medical Officer of Health, the cases of
Phthisis occurring in that class of the community who most need
his services; but 1 have to remind the Committee that they
are very imperfectly provided with the opportunities which are
needed for utilizing the knowledge thus gained.
Notification, without the ability to ameliorate the condition
of the sufferer is not calculated to effect the main object in
view.