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94
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.
Provided that nothing in this sub-division shall be
deemed to authorise a Council to take any of the measures
herein mentioned at any Poor Law Institution or any
Hospital.
(2) A Council, on the advice of their Medical Officer
of Health, may provide and publish or distribute in the
form of placards, handbills, or leaflets, suitable summaries
of information and instruction respecting Pulmonary
Tuberculosis, and the precautions to be taken against the
spread of infection from that disease.
From the above it is apparent to your Medical Officer that
the Local Government Board have not taken this step for the
mere pleasure of providing him with innumerable statistics or
of filling his office with unlimited tables, but if I read the signs
of the times aright we are close to the opening of a new era
when perhaps loftier conceptions of civic patriotisim may
prevail, and Borough Councils will awaken to their responsibilities
concerning consumption.
Citizens of various London Boroughs have already
awakened to the fact that consumption is an infective disease
and must be fought as all other infectious diseases must be
fought, but the time has now arrived when we should not leave
the hygiene of the homes of the people and the treatment of this
infectious disease to the laity, who have to undertake these
problems of health and sanitary science and undertake the
work which we as a corporate body shirk.
Phithisis alone caused 144 deaths last year ; this does not
include deaths from other Tuberculous Diseases.