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annum. On the other hand, he might be engaged at half the cost
of a whole-time assistant, but we do not think it possible to get a
competent man on these terms, and here, again, there would be
great difficulties in fixing his hours. For instance, we do not know
if it would be possible to get a half-time man for Monday morning
afternoon and evening. No doubt, it would also be difficult to get
a man for Saturday morning, or, indeed, any morning, if he were
doing other work."
R. KING BROWN.
D. M. CONNAN.
From a consideration of the above report, it will be evident that
it is difficult to decide the question as to whether the second
Assistant Tuberculosis Officer should be a whole or part-time man.
From a mere consideration of figures it would seem that
it is possible to get through the work with a whole-time Tuberculosis
Officer and a part-time Assistant, but this can only be done by
cutting down certain work, such as Home Visitations, consultations
with practitioners, and with the Medical Officers of the Consulting
Centres, and by not increasing the examination of contacts, but this
seems a very unsatisfactory method of working. The actual working
week of a Tuberculosis Officer is considered by the London County
Council to be 36 hours, and, taking the nature of the work into consideration,
it is most undesirable that this should be substantially
increased. Your part-time officer would be available for about 18 to
20 hours, and this would be taken up by six sessions of three hours
each, and his services would not be available for home visiting,
writing report and letters, or sputum examination, all of which things
take up a considerable amount of the time of a Tuberculosis Officer.
The character and the population of the Borough, the prevalence
of Tuberculosis, and the importance and the desirability of continuing
the work at the very least to the standard which has been
maintained so far, in my opinion justify the appointment of a wholetime
Second Assistant.