View report page

appointed Clinical Tuberculosis Officer in connection with the
Branch Dispensary at St. Thomas's Hospital by the Governors
of the Hospital on January 15th, 1913, and Dr. S. Nicol Galbraith,
M.B. (Glas.), D.P.H. (Camb.), Assistant Clinical Tuberculosis Officer
(whole time), in connection with the Central Dispensary at 73,
Effra Road, by the Council on February 27th, 1913, both appointments
being approved by the Local Government Board. Dr.
Galbraith resigned on November Ist, 1915, and the vacancy was
filled temporarily by the appointment of a part-time officer (Dr.
Eleanor A. Gorrie, M.B. (Edin.), from November Ist, 1915, to June
30th, 1916, and Dr. A. D. Serrell Cooke, M.B. (Edin.), from July Ist,
1916, to date).
A lady dispenser has been appointed (part time appointment),
in connection with the dispensing at the Central Dispensary.
In regard to the dispensary nurse attached to the Central Dispensary,
one only is at present necessary, now that the duties of
visiting tuberculosis-infected houses have been re-arranged and
allotted amongst the Council's Health Visitors,who assist materially,
thereby freeing the special dispensary nurse for her purely dispensary
work. Further, arrangements are being made, by which
the clinical work connected with the patients at the Central
Dispensary will be better organised, securing their more punctual
attendances for examination and treatment at the official hours
stated, and so as to enable the dispenser to regulate her time.
These administrative changes are working satisfactorily
and economically, with the result that it has been found possible
for the Council to amend its estimates, which provided for two nurses
if required, and to provide now only for one dispensary nurse, in
compliance with the suggestion of the Local Government Board.
The clerical work at the Central Dispensary (temporary boy
clerk), like that at the Public Health Department generally, has been
strained to its utmost on account of the War, and the consequent
absence on military duties of two of the permanent clerks of the
Public Health Department, but administrative changes are being
introduced by which this strain will be lessened and by which it
will be found possible to " carry on " with efficiency with the
present temporary staff.
4. Conclusions.
As a Borough, Lambeth is to be congratulated upon the
inauguration by the Council in 1913 of the Lambeth Municipal
Tuberculosis Dispensaries Scheme, with the opening to the Public
of the Central and Branch Dispensaries for the use of the inhabitants
of the Borough. The scheme, which is working well in practice
and doing much good, has been justified. Indeed, in this respect,
Lambeth, as a Metropolitan Borough, ranks as a pioneer, the
Lambeth Scheme being the first Scheme approved by the Local
Government Board, and the Scheme upon which other Schemes
for other Districts have been framed.