View report page

84
in a poor law infirmary with pulmonary tuberculosis for many
months in a ward reserved for "consumptives." She was
eventually discharged, and a year later did not know that she had
consumption. She could not read or write, but was able to understand
the pictorial leaflet issued by the Finsbury Public Health
Department. She lived with her illiterate sister, who was also
ignorant that the patient had tuberculosis. When the sister
realised the true state of affairs, she precipitated the re-admission
of the patient to the infirmary because she knew that "consumption
was catching," and she "didn't want none of her family to
have it."
In the search for unrecognised and suspected cases, it is difficult
sometimes to arrange for the examination of all the contacts in
the house and family. Some of these contacts have to go out to
work early in the morning and return late at night. They may
be seen at home on Saturday afternoon or on Sunday afternoon,
but occasionally they resent examination even then. They do not
realise that the examination of contacts is as much for their own
benefit as it is for the public health interest.
14. When a room recently occupied by a consumptive is
vacated on death or on removal, disinfection is offered in every
instance, and a special soap for scrubbing the room is provided
free of cost by the Public Health Department. It must be
admitted, however, that these facilities for disinfection and for
cleansing are not often accepted. The room is occupied by a new
tenant sometimes within a few hours of the removal of the last
occupant; meanwhile the room has not been disinfected and has
not been scoured out. There is no power to enforce compulsory
cleansing or disinfection.
15. Patients, who arc discharged from sanatoria, have much
trouble in getting suitable employment, or even any employment
save unskilled or casual labour. This will be one of the most
pressing and urgent problems for the consideration of an "AfterCare
Committee." There is much difficulty, too, in following up
the educational treatment of the sanatorium—popularly described
as "rest, open air, and stuffing," in the dusty, closely-confined,
and squalid homes to which they return.