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cases of tubercle are notified. I have recommended voluntary
notification, but it appears that there is no power to pay for it.
Such power is urgently needed.
No doubt something may be done by public lectures and
distribution of leaflets in educating the public on how tubercle
may be avoided.
But until the cases of tubercle are known to the Health
Office, the most important kind of instruction, i.e., instruction
of the patient, cannot be attained. The leaflet I have prepared
and used is appended.
The Woolwich and Greenwich Tramway Company very
readily acquiesced in my request that notices should be posted
in the cars forbidding expectoration on the floors. Such
notices are, I believe, now to be found in all the tram cars.
57. I recommended that the County Council should be requested
to provide covered seats or shelters on Plumstead
Common for the use of Phthisical persons seeking open-air
treatment. Such seats would enable delicate persons to take
the air on the Common in all weathers, whereas without them
they require fine and calm weather. The request was endorsed
by the Committee and forwarded to the Council, but they
refused to comply with it on the ground, I believe, that such
seats would be used for inproper purposes.
I fail to see the validity of this objection. What useful
contrivance exists that is not abused? The objection simply
means that the Council needs to be convinced of the usefulness
of such shelters.
58. Per 1,000 population there were 1.48 deaths from
phthisis in Plumstead, 2 08 in Woolwich, 0.88 in Lee, and
1.72 in London.