Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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mortality in the male sex being some 40 per cent. greater
than in the female sex, and that a much larger number
of persons (also chiefly adults) suffer from ill-health arising
from the same.
(2) That great loss accrues to the community from these
deaths and this morbidity from pulmonary phthisis (consumption),
and many deaths and much illness and suffering
might be prevented were hospitals provided for the treatment
of this disease.
(3) That persons suffering from pulmonary phthisis
(consumption) may be divided roughly into two classes
(1) those in the primary stage of the disease, which is
curable and not specially infectious; and (2) those in the
chronic stage of the disease, which is incurable and very
infectious.
(4) That for those in the primary stage of the disease
hospitals are required, wherein the patients may be treated
with a view to cure, and for those in the chronic stage
refuges, wherein the patients may be isolated, so as to be
provented from spreading the disease to others.
(5) That the present (existing) provision of hospitals for
pulmonary phthisis (consumption) in London is totally
inadequate, and that, in connection with such provision as
there is, great difficulty (and consequent delay) is experienced
in obtaining admittance thereto, more especially when, as
usually is the case, the "letter" system prevails, rendering
it necessary for patients not only to have to wait long for
their turn, and so lose the advantage of special and valuable
treatment in the early stage of the disease, but also to find
that, when admitted, they are rarely kept in hospital long
enough to obtain a cure.