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Recommendations adopted by the Council: —
(a) That cases of phthsis remaining at home should be visited, as hitherto, by the
Medical Officer of Health, these visits to be followed up by systematic periodical visits
of the Health Visitor.
(b) That three beds be contracted for in one of the sanatoria, at a cost of about
30s. per week when occupied and 20s. when not occupied, where suitable cases could
receive treatment.
(c) The purchase by the Council of three or four shelters which could be given on
loan to suitable cases for treatment.
Sanatorium.
On July 26th the Council decided to contract for three beds in one of the sanatoria. A full
report of this will be given next year.
The following is a special report on the question of a sanatorium and the conditions under
which patients will be received:—
Prevention of Consumption.
I beg to report that in company with Councillor Richmond I visited Benenden Sanatorium
on Thursday, September 15th, and in company with the Chairman and Councillor Richmond the
Maitland Sanatorium, Peppard Common, on Saturday, September 17th. The following is a brief
description of each sanatorium:—
Benenden Sanatorium is situated in Kent, about six to seven miles from Headcorn, which
is on the main line between London Bridge and Dover. It takes a little over two hours to reach
Headcorn, and the distance between this and Benenden can be covered by a vehicle in a little under
an hour, or by a light railway which runs part of the distance. The sanatorium, which is built on
two large farms comprising together about 250 acres, is situated in an undulating country mainly
given over to agriculture, the geological formation being marl loam resting on greensand. The
building is a large one of crescentic form with a southern aspect, and consists mainly of cubicles
arranged in two stories, the majority containing two beds each. The cubicles are ventilated towards
the north by windows, and towards the south they are fully open to passages which run the whole
length of the building. These passages are ventilated direct to the open air by casement windows.
There is no verandah, but the south windows open on to a terrace. The height above the sea level
is 250 feet. The building is constructed of hollow tiles fitted into a suitable framework, and is put
up in a very inexpensive style. There are administrative blocks attached to it for the Assistant
Medical Officer, the nursing staff, &c., and the Medical Superintendent lives in a farmhouse some
distance off. The drainage and general sanitary arrangements are very good. There are 101 beds
for men only, 90 of which are at present occupied. The principal occupants of these are members
of various trade unions, and might be described as of the artisan class. Recently a wing has been
added for post office employees.
The system of treatment here is known as the open-air treatment, combined with graduated
work. The graduated work consists of doing a certain amount of domestic work and walks of
various distances according to the strength of the patient, until he gets up to the average work done
by an agricultural labourer, and the results are said to be very good.
The fare from London Bridge to Headcorn is 3s. 10d., and by special arrangement with the
Kent and East Sussex Railway, patients can be conveyed from there at Is. 9d. per return journey.
By ordinary cab the cost from Headcorn to the sanatorium is 4s.
The cost per bed per annum is £78, i.e., 30s. per week, but there is no rebate made on
account of any period during which beds maintained at the annual charge may be unoccupied,
whatever may be the cause. The regulations also state that, as far as possible, the patients
nominated should be members of trade unions or friendly societies.
Maitland Sanatorium is situated on a farm of about 50 acres of arable and pasture land in an
open district of the Chiltern Hills six miles from Reading, and adjoins an extensive gorse common.
The buildings are quite of a different type from those at Benenden, and this is mainly explained
by the development of the sanatorium itself. This began some ten years ago in a very small way
as a single building, and additions have been made as required. These did not follow any special
plan, but are scattered about the grounds in various directions. They are single storied, with large
verandahs situated in front on to which the separate bedrooms open. The windows are specially made
to open up and down like those in railway carriages, so that when the weather permits the patients get
the full benefit of the "open window." Scattered over the grounds are several shelters each containing
a single bed. They are the size of a small room, with windows on three sides and completely open
in the front. They are made to turn on a pivot, so that their backs can always be turned to the
side from which the wind is blowing. To obtain permission to sleep in one of these is one of the
rewards of progress in health in the sanatorium, and patients are very anxious to get sufficiently
well to avail themselves of this privilege. The site of the sanatorium consists of gravel situated on
chalk, and is very dry, and the height above sea level is 375 feet. There are 55 beds, which include
8 for children and 12 for women. Reading can be reached from Paddington in a little under an
hour at a cost of 3s., and from the former, patients are conveyed by an open trap or cab, at a cost of
4s. and 6s. 6d. respectively each way. The patients are admitted to the sanatorium for a month on
trial, and then if not found suitable for any reason are returned home, but if suitable, are retained
for a period of two months or more as arranged for. The system of treatment is the same as at
Benenden, viz., open air and graduated work, the latter being divided into three classes. For
women the work consists of needlework,. housework, gardening, Swedish drill, &c., in varying
lengths. The patients seem very happy and comfortable. They are well fed, and have 2½ pints
of milk per diem. The country in the neighbourhood seemed very healthy and picturesque. The
charge here is £78 per annum per bed, and the authorities are willing to make an allowance of 10s.
per week when beds are unoccupied.