View report page

54
It will be noted that the work of the Dispensary will include in addition
to Clinical work, Preventive and Administrative work.
The Departmental Committee in their Interim Report point out that the
powers and duties of the Borough Council as the Sanitary Authority in connection
with Tuberculosis are very wide in their scope. They exercise in their
jurisdiction the powers of the Public Health Acts and Regulations made under
them as to infectious disease, and since Tuberculosis has been recognised as an
infectious disease the Council have taken additional steps to combat it from
this point of view. Pulmonary Tuberculosis has been made a compulsorily
notifiable disease for England and Wales and under Regulations made by
the Local Government Board definite powers and duties are imposed on Sanitary
Authorities and their Officers for the administrative control of Tuberculosis.
The scope of these can be gathered from Articles VIII. and IX. of the
Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1911, given below. These should
be read in conjunction with all the clauses of the Public Health Acts relating to
sanitation and the control of infectious disease.
Article VIII.—Upon receipt of a notification under these Regulations
or under the Poor Law Regulations or under the Hospital Regulations the
Medical Officer of Health or an Officer acting under his instructions shall make
such enquiries and take such steps as may appear to him to be necessary or
desirable for preventing the spread of infection and for removing conditions
favourable to infection.
Article IX.— For the purposes of these Regulations and of the Poor
Law Regulations and of the Hospitals Regulations, a Council on the advice of
their Medical Officer of Health, may supply all such Medical or other assistance
and all such facilities and articles as may reasonably be required for the
detection of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and for preventing the spread of infection
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.
(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.
"It will be observed that by these Regulations Sanitary Authorities have
had conferred upon them the power of treating Pulmonary Tuberculosis in
the homes in addition to their already existing powers of treating this disease
in Dispensaries and other Institutions. Under these powers much work has
already been done by Sanitary Authorities in the provision of Hospital or
Sanatorium accommodation or of Dispensaries and shelters by the Authorities
themselves or more generally by a subscription to a Sanatorium or to a Dispensary
erected by a Voluntary Society, inspection of houses occupied by
patients suffering from Tuberculosis, examination of patients, and ' contacts,'
together with advice as to the prevention of the spread of infection, the provision
of treatment by Tuberculin, the bacteriological examination of sputum,
the disinfection of premises and bedding, the making of by-laws for the
prevention of spitting, the distribution of leaflets and handbills giving instruction
and advice with regard to the management of Tuberculosis. The Sanitary
Authorities have power to deal with overcrowding and insanitary condition of
dwellings, to control the milk supply and to stop the supply of Tuberculous
milk and to seize and condemn Tuberculous meat exposed for sale. These
powers they exercise through their Medical Officers of Health, Sanitary
Inspectors and Health Visitors."