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41
Among the questions to be considered by the Council
in the near future is that of their relation with the
Tuberculosis Dispensary. The Central Fund for the
Promotion of the Dispensary System unquestionably
did valuable work in promoting in certain London
boroughs Tuberculosis Dispensaries on the lines subsequently
approved by the Departmental Committee,
and Fulham profited by the early establishment,
through voluntary efforts, of a dispensary. The
dispensary has undoubtedly gained the confidence of
the public and of the members of the medical profession
in Fulham, who have, ever since its opening,
most cordially co-operated with it, and last year
upwards of a third of the new patients were
sent to the dispensary by their doctors. It has
also worked in intimate relation and cordial harmony
with the Public Health Department, but it must be
remembered that the Council are wholly responsible
for all matters relating to the prevention of tuberculosis
and that with an independent Committee undertaking
an important side of the work there must be a
certain want of control on the part of the Council,
which is undesirable and difficulties in securing com
plete co-ordination will at times arise.
The Dispensary Committee have recently applied
to the Council for an increase of the grant in aid, on the
ground of the unavoidable increase in their expenditure,
and the Public Health Committee have recommended
the Council to increase their grant for the year ending
March 31st, 1921, to £1,200, and to take steps to take
over the management and control of the dispensary as
from April 1st, 1921. The expenditure for the year
1919 was £2,637, and for the current year will probably
amount to about £3,200.
Should the Council take over the dispensary the net
cost to them, after deducting the contributions of the
Insurance Committee, the Ministry of Health and the
London County Council, will be about £730, against
£310 if their contribution is limited to a grant of £1,200.