London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Bermondsey 1922

Report on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey for the year 1922

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is now due. A suggested re-modelling is outlined below. The purpose
of notification is to supply the Medical Officer of Health with
accurate knowledge as to the extent (i.e., number of cases) and distribution
of Tuberculosis in his area. The present system is too
rigid. The doctor must notify a case of Tuberculosis as soon as his
diagnosis is made. He hesitates to do so because he feels that in
notifying a case he is branding his patient for life, while at the same
time he is conferring no compensating benefit upon the patient.
For this reason he may retain or magnify a doubt, make no definite
diagnosis, and refrain from notifying. If the doctor could feel that
in notifying he was really helping his patient personally, as well as
taking his part in preserving the public health, many more notifications
would probably be received. A standard notification form as
described below is suggested for the use of all medical practitioners.
(11408)Q
D
49