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60
When patients return home after a period of treatment
in a residential institution, prolonged care and medical
supervision may frequently be required, and it will be the
duty of the dispensary stall: to co-operate with the private
practitioners in carrying this out. The dispensary staff
will also act under the direction of the Medical Officer of
Health in carrying out any duties that are necessary for his
assistance in administrative and preventive work for the
protection of Public Health such as the examination of
'contacts,' i.e., persons who have been associated with
tuberculous persons, and may therefore be themselves
infected.
In October I received a letter from the Medical
Officer to the Local Government Board, desiring me to
again draw the attention of the Borough Council to the
advisability of proceeding with the organization of a
Tuberculosis Dispensary in Bethnal Green. Accordingly,
the following memorandum was prepared and submitted
to the Public Health Committee:—
Memorandum by the Medical Officer of Health re
The Esiablishment of a Tuberculosis Dispensary.
22nd October, 1912.
I have on two previous occasions reported upon the
advantages of a Tuberculosis Dispensary, and as the period
is rapidly approaching when the Council's contract with the
Governors of Fairlight Sanatorium will expire, I think the
time has arrived when it should be seriously taken into
consideration whether their contract should be renewed or
whether the £300 per annum now paid to Fairlight should
be devoted towards the establishment and maintenance of a
Tuberculosis Dispensary. The preliminary report of the
Astor Committee urges the establishment of at least one
Tuberculosis Institution in each Metropolitan Borough, and
all the adjoining Boroughs are moving in this direction.