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16. School children suffering from tuberculosis are excluded
from school by the Education Authorities in the hope that the
children will be given rest and proper treatment in suitable
institutions. These expectations are often not realised. The
parents, when the child has been released from school attendance,
are inclined to resist the measures which are projected for its
betterment. The child discards its splints, or instrument, and is
put to run errands, to wash the floor, or to help the parents at a
street stall. A consumptive child may be kept at home to mind
the younger children. Some further power is desirable to enable
local authorities to compel careless parents to do their best for
such children, or to deal otherwise with them.
Treatment.—Out of 382 patients, 118 had been treated at the
Holborn Poor Law Infirmary or Institution. Forty-nine patients
received sanatorium teatment in addition to the 52 paid for by the
London County Insurance Committee. Each patient notified,
when visited, was asked whether he would like to have sanatorium
treatment or not—235 stated that they would be very glad to have
the opportunity of entering a sanatorium, 68 did not wish to
accept.
Those who returned home from sanatoria were visited and asked
for their comments on the food and treatment. Most patients
were very satisfied. Some grumbled. They had expected that
when they entered a sanatorium they were to have something far
different to what they had been accustomed to have at home.
They did not understand the treatment by rest, open air, and
graduated exercise. They were surprised that they were given
no medicine—" not even cod liver oil or malt." They could not
accustom themselves to rooms where there were no fires, and on
that account complained that the premises were cold. Some of
the comments are given below:—
1. "There were only three meals a day."
2. "The tea in the afternoon was not a proper tea. The cups
were so small that they only held a few teaspoonfuls."
3. "Not enough milk." This patient admitted that he had
two pints of hot milk daily, and had never asked for more.