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47
officers' salaries. The Institution is doing very useful work, the
education of the children being carried on under the most
favourable conditions for their recovery, and almost continuously
in the open air, and suitable nourishing meals being
provided at the school.
Staff of the Dispensary.
The existing staff of the Dispensary at the passing of the
Institution to the control of the Borough Council consisted of a
medical officer, 2 nurses, secretary, clerk, typist, dispenser, and
caretakers (man and wife). This staff has been increased by
the addition of one nurse. The services of one of the nurses
is, as already stated, allocated to Springwell House to the extent
of three-fourths of her time. It is considered that the needs
of the Dispensary require the services of four nurses, but,
apparently on economic grounds, the Ministry of Health
have for the present not seen their way to give their sanction
to more than three nurses.
Care Committee.
On the taking over by the Council of the Tuberculosis
Dispensary a permanent Care Committee was appointed by the
Council, consisting of members of the Council, and of representatives
of other bodies engaged in health and social work
in the Borough. The Local Pensions Committee is also represented
on the committee. The composition and functions of
this Committee are on the lines suggested in the circular letter,
dated 29th April, 1915, issued by the Local Government Board.
The Committee has the services as secretary of Miss Wadham,
of the Dispensary Staff, and the Tuberculosis Officer attends in
an advisory capacity all meetings of the Committee. A subsidiary,
though important function of the Committee, is the
investigation into the circumstances and the assessment of payments
to be made by patients for institutional treatment to the
London County Council as the authority responsible for the
provision of such form of treatment.
The importance in any scheme for the combatting of
tuberculosis of an efficient Care Committee, composed of
persons selected for their knowledge and experience of health
and social welfare work, cannot be over-estimated. It is
satisfactory to note that the Council has promptly and effectively
recognised this, and the work carried oiit by the newlyformed
Care Committee during the few months they have been
in office has been of an encouraging and valuable character.
Non-Dispensary Patients
During 1921, 1,818 visits to homes where cases of tuberculosis
had been notified were made by the Council's sanitary
inspectors (male and female).