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funds to provide for Dispensary and Hospital out-patient
treatment. It is probable that other forms of sanatorium
benefit will be severely handicapped.
Insurance Committees.
In London the administration of sanatorium benefit
under the Act is vested entirely in the County of London
Insurance Committee. This Committee is charged with the
duty of arranging for the treatment of insured persons at
Hospitals, Sanatoria, and other Institutions already in existence
(other than Poor Law Institutions), but is not empowered to
erect or provide buildings for the purpose.
When the Insurance Act came into force temporary
Local Sub-Committees were formed in each Metropolitan
Borough.
The system temporarily adopted by the London Insurance
Committee in making arrangements for the domiciliary
treatment of insured persons recommended for this form of
treatment worked very well, and, as far as we were concerned,
proved very useful. A case was referred to the Medical Officer
of Health of the Borough, who was asked to arrange for the
treatment of the patient. In most of the cases which were
referred to us we were able to arrange for the patient to be
attended by his own doctor, who was paid in accordance with
a scale of fees arranged. In this way the Public Health
Department was enabled to get into touch with the patient, and,
in many instances, to effect an improvement in his environment.
In January, 1913, when the whole scheme of medical benefit
came into operation, this arrangement ceased. New applicants
were referred directly to a doctor on the " Panel," and no
information was sent to the Public Health Department by the