View report page

71
TUBERCULOSIS.
The question of Tuberculosis (including consumption or
phthisis) has engaged the special attention of the Vestry
during the year 1898. A Report was presented by the
Medical Officer (copy of which will be found in the
Appendix, page 4), who pointed out that 2680 deaths
from Tuberculosis (1913 being due to phthisis or consumption)
were registered in Lambeth during the four years
1894—1897, the Inner Wards again suffering more severely
than the Outer Wards. As Tuberculosis is now a recognised
infectious disease, due to the entrance into the body from
without of the tubercle bacillus, and is acquired either
directly from man to man, or indirectly through food (milk
and meat), the Medical Officer felt that the Vestry ought (1)
to systematically disinfect rooms (and contents) that had
been previously occupied by tuberculous-infected invalids
(more especially those suffering from the pulmonary form
of the disease known as consumption or phthisis) ; (2) to
afford opportunities to medical men and others, of having
the sputa from infected persons examined bacteriologically,
so as to demonstrate the presence of the bacilli, and so
put all doubt as to the diagnosis out of question; and (3)
to disseminate knowledge as to the nature and dangers
of the disease, amongst clergymen, district visitors, school
teachers, etc., and through them amongst the Lambeth
ratepayers generally. With these objects in view, the
following suggestions were made by the Medical Officer,
and adopted in toto by the Vestry on the 8th December,
1898:—
i. That a circular letter (A) be sent round to all the
Medical men in Lambeth, pointing out that the
Vestry is prepared to disinfect (free of cost) all rooms
(and contents) recently occupied by patients