View report page

now for tuberculous persons, and there is no likelihood for success
in this direction until the healthy part of the population is provided
for.
When the Interim Tuberculosis Care Committee was first formed,
a great deal of reliance was placed on voluntary effort in making
provision for tuberculous persons, but the State and the various
Local Public Authorities have now recognised their duties in this
respect, so that matters are completely altered, and provision in the
vast majority of cases can be obtained from one or another of the
Public Bodies mentioned in the table.
In addition to this there are a great many objections which can
be urged against a Care Committee, constituted as suggested by the
Local Government Board and the County Council. In the first place
tuberculous persons in the Borough receive two sets of visits, one
from the Care Committee, and another from the staff of the Dispensary.
This creates a great deal of irritation amongst the patients
themselves, who do not see the necessity for so many visits, and
advice is often given by one visitor which clashes with that given
by the other. Very frequently we do not know who the visitors of
the Care Committee are, with the result that both visitors often go
to see the same patient's home on the same day. It might, of course,
be said that this could be avoided if there was more co-ordination
between the Committee and the Dispensary staff, but it is impossible
to do this as the Secretary is part-time and attends only three days
a week, and arrangements must be made in the interval, so that
complete co-ordination from a practical point of view is not possible.
Personally, I do not think the Committee is necessary at all, and
the work could be done much more efficiently by the staff of the
Tuberculosis Dispensary, working under the supervision of the Public
Health Committee. The only thing is that some provision must
be made for assessments, and I do not think it would be difficult
if the following plan was adopted. At the present time, this Deparment
deals with about 1,000 assessments every month for milk
and dental work, and the addition of another 20 per month —which
would be the maximum for the County Council —would not require