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to the exceptional character of the disease, the difficulty of
obtaining knowledge of cases, and also to the apathy of the
public, and even the sufferers themselves. These conditions
have now been changed, education being the chief factor. For
the past two or three years almost every newspaper and magazine
has in a popular way sought to draw the attention of its
readers to the fact that this canker of civilisation can be prevented,
and that its prevention is a national duty. It would
now seem that the public has awakened, and is demanding
protection from the State, and the institution of a crusade
against this disease.
Sanitary Authorities have been handicapped in the past
by lack of the necessary statutory powers to institute the required
machinery for curative and preventive treatment, but
the difficulties have recently been removed, and every Sanitary
Authority may now join in the great crusade against
tuberculosis.
I now present to you a brief summary of the statutory
powers regulating the treatment of persons suffering from tuberculosis
and the administrative measures adopted for its
prevention.
The Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1908, provided
for the compulsory notification to the Sanitary Authority
of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis occurring amongst the inmates
of Poor Law Institutions or under the care of District
Medical Officers.
The Public Health (Tuberculosis in Hospitals) Regulations,
1911, extended the notification to persons treated in
Hospitals or similar Institutions other than those supported
by rates or taxes. This Order gave special powers to Sanitary
Authorities, including power to disinfect infected premises or
articles, to supply sputum boxes, paper handkerchiefs and disinfectants,
and to publish and issue leallets, &c., for educational
purposes.
The Regulations afforded the Local Authorities opportunities
of investigating the conditions under which the patient
had been living, and of ascertaining whether other members
of the family were in need of encouragement to obtain medical
advice.
The Regulations removed any doubt that existed as to
the legality of a Local Authority establishing a Tuberculosis
Dispensary.