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TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY.
The following report on the working of the Dispensary has been
given me by Dr. D). M. Connan, Assistant Tuberculosis Officer
(Clinical). I consider that the Council did the right thing in making
this dispensary a branch of the Public Health Department. There
is no object in having an important infectious disease, like Tuberculosis,
run by an outside authority, since all the problems for its
reduction are problems for the Local Sanitary Authority, and can
only be efficiently carried out when the work is part of the Public
Health Department.
Report on the Work of the Tuberculosis Dispensary for the
Year 1921.
"During the year under review two important changes have
taken place affecting the working of the Dispensary.
(1). On April 1st, 1921, the Dispensary, which had hitherto been
under the control of a voluntary Committee, was taken over by the
Borough Council, and all the members of the Dispensary Staff elected
to transfer to the service of the Council. The Dispensary thus
became a part of the Public Health Department of the Borough,
and much closer co-operation with that department has resulted,
and, in addition, the elimination of a considerable amount of overlapping.
From the point of view of the Tuberculosis Officer the
change has been beneficial, resulting in a wider outlook and a greater
interest in the general public health work of the Borough.
(2). At the end of April the responsibility for the provision of
institutional treatment for Tuberculous insured persons passed from
the London Insurance Committee to the London County Council,
thus making the latter responsible for the institutional treatment of
all cases of Tuberculosis, whether insured or otherwise, adult or
children. So far as this Dispensary is concerned the change was
effected quite easily, and the scheme appears to work satisfactorily.