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originally decided upon the provision of a Tuberculosis Dispensary,
the question of the Medical Staff for this Institution became
a somewhat burning question in this district, the general medical
practitioners realising that, should such a Dispensary become an
accomplished fact, in a very short time, probably within 12 months,
it would have a material effect to their disadvantage in so far as
the treatment of patients in the Borough was concerned, and, at
the same time, it would materially limit their opportunities for
gaining practical experience in dealing with this insidious disease.
Accordingly a scheme was evolved, which had the entire support
of the medical profession in the neighbourhood, under which it
was arranged that they should nominate certain local practitioners
of approved skill and experience who would act in rotation as
Tuberculosis Officers of this Institution. This scheme was formally
approved by this Council and sent forward to the Local Government
Board, who, however, took strong exception to the method
of staffing the Institution, and in fact definitely disapproved the
scheme on this ground. It was also suggested by that Board that
we should again endeavour to arrange with the neighbouring
Boroughs of Woolwich, Deptford and Lewisham for the purpose
of securing a joint appointment of a properly-qualified wholetime
Tuberculosis Officer for any two Boroughs. Enquiries were
made on these lines, but it was found that no suitable working
combination of this character could be effected, and accordingly
it appeared to leave no alternative but to further consider the
matter from the point of view of appointing a whole-time Tuberculosis
Officer for Greenwich only, and the final scheme as approved
by the Council, and also by the Local Government Board, is on the
following lines: —
That the Medical Officer of Health shall be the Chief
Executive Officer, and that, under his administrative direction and
control, a Medical Officer be appointed to take charge of the Tuberculosis
Dispensary. That such Medical Officer should be a properly
qualified medical man, and have had special experience in all
modern forms of treatment of Tuberculosis, and must also have
had practical experience in bacteriological laboratory work. The