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73
Notification is fairly satisfactory on the whole,
but delay is sometimes experienced in the receipt of
notifications of admissions to and discharges from
sanatoria.
There were 16 deaths certified from Tuberculosis
in which the deceased person had not previously been
notified. This represents 14.5 per cent, of the deaths
from Tuberculosis during the year. Enquiry of the
certifying practitioner in each case elicited the following
explanations:—
Due to oversight or pressure of work 1
Diagnosis only reached at or immediately
before death 10
Certified by Coroner 2
No reply 3
Late notification, probably due to delay in seeking
medical treatment, is shown by the following figures:—
Notified practically at time of death 12
„ within 1 month „ „ 7
„ „ 3 months „ „ 8
„ „ 6 months „ ,, 10
The chief difficulty about delay or failure in the
notification of Tuberculosis lies in the nature of the
disease and the poverty of the residents in the borough.
A man may suspect that he is suffering but dare not
admit the fact for fear of losing his employment.
Consequently he does not call in a doctor until 'his
physical weakness compels him to give in. Until some
adequate provision is made for the tuberculous as a
disabled man, I am afraid this state of things is likely
to continue.