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of the Public Health Department. He is able to report sanitary
defects observed when visiting patients, to examine the contacts
of this and other infectious diseases, to see that disinfection
of rooms and houses is carried out where necessary, etc., etc.
For the reasons noted, the Tuberculosis Officer in Deptford
also holds the appointment of Assistant Medical Officer of
Health, and thus by interweaving the two departments not
only is overlapping and redundancy obviated, but the work
itself is much more effective and better supervised.
THE DISPENSARY AS AN INFORMATION BUREAU.
It is obvious that the Tuberculosis Dispensary must be
situated centrally and within easy access by tram, omnibus,
or otherwise, of the different parts of the area which it is
intended to serve. By its lines of communication, it connects
the general public and affected persons with the Sanatorium,
the Farm Colony, the open air Schools, the Hospital for advanced
cases, and with existing charitable and philanthropic
organisations. The Dispensary therefore possesses varied
activities and functions. It may be called the information
bureau of Tuberculosis in any given area, and anybody seeking
advice or information on any aspect of this important subject
will be encouraged to attend there. Think what this means to
the parents having weak or delicate children, especially where
there is the taint of a history of tuberculosis in the family ; to
the anxious widow whose husband having died of Phthisis is
unable to decide to what vocation to place her offsprings; to
the weakly young woman belonging to a consumptive family
and hesitating as to whether she should marry; instances like
these could be multiplied many times in which the Dispensary
can give advice with regard to health and guidance as to conduct
of living. This is of course in addition to advice and guidance
to actual patients and contacts attending the Dispensary or being
visited at their homes by the Tuberculosis Officer, concerning
which, more will be said later.
H