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4.—Clerk who attends at the Dispensary on three half days
per week for the purpose of undertaking clerical work, compiling
returns, filing, etc.
5.—Dentist who conducts one session per week for tuberculous
patients.
In considering the question of dealing with Tuberculosis, whether
by "Dispensary," or by other means, it should be borne in mind that
there are certain well-established cardinal lines along which sound
progress can be made. Thus for example, two very important factors
in the campaign against tuberculosis are the proper housing of the people
and the provision of Homes for advanced highly infectious cases.
Three principal lines of combating the disease are (1) Prevention,
(2) Treatment and (3) After-care; and notwithstanding all that has
been achieved in these directions hitherto, it must be confessed that the
results have fallen short of what was expected of them. The
subject of After-Care is perhaps the most difficult of all, being involved
as it is in social and other problems; but until our system of care and
after-care is so developed as to enable us effectively to hold the ground
won by our methods of treatment, we cannot remain satisfied. Too
often the "arrested" case is compelled to return to the undesirable or
crowded tenement and to the unsuitable occupation which probably
tended to cause the disease in the first place.
I am of opinion that the subject of "After-care" is equally
important to any other line of action. The Care Committee that will
undertake to educate a patient during treatment and after treatment is
doing an essential work towards his permanent recovery. It is by no
means light or easy work: patients are refractory and difficult and from
this arises a cjnsiderable number of failures to effect permanent cures.
It is a harsh saying but nevertheless true that "no fool was ever cured
of consumption." To educate the patient and combat that folly is the
work of a sympathetic Care Committee.
Revision of existing Scheme for the Dispensary Treatment of
Tuberculosis in Hampstead.
In consequence of a survey which had been made of the existing
arrangements in London as to the organisation of schemes for dispensary