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96
London County Council and the Treatment of Tuberculosis.
Dispensary Schemes of Local Sanitary Authorities.
In connection with the preparation of a comprehensive scheme
for the treatment of tuberculosis in London, the London County
Council have had under consideration the question of the approval of
local dispensary schemes, which are, in accordance with the decision of
the Local Government Board, to be prepared and administered by the
local sanitary authorities.
The Council passed the following resolutions with regard to these
local schemes:—
(1) On 29th and 30th July, 1913.—That in the opinion of the
Council it is essential that in connection with the treatment of
tuberculosis in London: (i.) all possible use should be made of
existing institutions; and (ii.) approval should not be given to any
scheme which fails to provide for each dispensary being linked
up with a hospital to which special cases shall be referred for
consultation or treatment, residential or otherwise.
(2) On 4th November, 1913.—That any comprehensive scheme
for dealing with the treatment of tuberculosis in London shall
provide for a contribution being made by the Council from year
to year towards so much of the cost of the dispensary treatment
of uninsured persons in the City of London and each metropolitan
borough as would otherwise fall on the local rate, after
taking into account the promised grant from the Imperial
Exchequer, provided that such contribution (i.) shall not exceed
50 per cent. of such cost: (ii.) shall in the first instance be made
from a date to be fixed hereafter by the Council; and (iii.) shall
be conditional upon the Council being satisfied with the local
scheme in force in such area and upon the arrangements and
expenditure being annually submitted to and approved by the
Council.
The Council on December 11th, 1913, decided the general
principles, to be inserted in the comprehensive scheme, by which it
will be guided in its consideration of local schemes, and set out
a list of points which they considered essential.
(a) That any comprehensive scheme for the treatment of
tuberculosis in London shall provide for the undermentioned
principles to be observed in any local scheme which the Council
will approve for the provision of dispensary treatment.
(i) The Council must be satisfied that the premises to be
utilised as a dispensary are suitable for the purpose.
(ii) The scheme must include provision, either in the dispensary,
or at a hospital working in connection with the dispensary, for
the diagnosis not only of ordinary straight-forward cases, but
also of incipient, anomalous and difficult cases specially referred
on the ground of difficulty of diagnosis.