London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Greenwich 1911

The annual report made to the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich for the year 1911

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51
fectant has also been supplied to patients to disinfect
sputum, etc., and sputum pots where such are found necessary.
The Local Government Board have now definitely taken a
step forward in dealing with this disease, by issuing an order
—The Public Health Tuberculosis Regulations, 1911, requiring,
on and after 1st January, 1912, the compulsory notification
of all cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, thus completing
the notification scheme with reference to this disease. Various
powers and duties are by the order laid upon the Local
Sanitary Authority, both with regard to measures for the
prevention of infection, and also the treatment of the patient,
and it is shown that under the existing Public Health (London)
Act, Local Authorities have power to definitely provide
institutional treatment. This order and regulations have
undoubtedly brought more prominently before the minds of
the Public Health Committee and the Council the necessity
which there is in this neighbourhood for some more active
measures being instituted to both combat and prevent this
disease, and during the year a series of Conferences have
taken place with the Authorities of the Miller Hospital
to see if a scheme for dealing with this matter in combination
with the respective Councils of Deptford and Greenwich
and the Authorities of the Miller Hospital could not be
arranged. It has, however, been eventually decided that this
combination could not be effected; this leaves as alternative
schemes—First, as to the promotion of a scheme for the
Councils of Greenwich and Deptford together, or, secondly,
each one for themselves, or, thirdly, either both together
or each separately, assisted by the Central Fund for the promotion
of the Dispensary treatment of Tuberculosis. As to
which of these alternatives will be finally decided upon
has not yet been settled, but the question ;is undoubtedly
rapidly maturing. In my opinion the power given by the
regulations with reference to disinfection of premises after
cases of consumption by being simply permissive is not nearly