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39
On the 15th January, 1903. this Conference was held when the
following questions were submitted as the bases of discussions:—
(1) In the voluntary notification of Phthisis is it desirable in all
cases in which a medical man is in attendance that the consent
of the patient or friends be obtained to the notification before it
is made?
(2) Is it desirable or necessary that duplicate notification be received
within six months of the original one unless the patient has
changed residence in the meanwhile?
(3) Is it necessary that moribund cases be notified?
(4) Will the examination of sputum in morning or other coughs,
be of service to medical men in the Borough if facilities be given
for such examinations?
(5) Is it advisable that any literature the Council of the Borough
wish to be placed in the hands of the patient or friends, be
handed or addressed to the medical man in attendance?
At the Conference, which was well attended, the Medical Officer read
a short paper on the subject which is here printed. After considerable
discussion, all the questions with the exception of No. 3, were answered
unanimously in the affirmative.
The following letter was afterwards sent round to all the medical
practitioners of the district:—
Dear Sir,—
In November of 1901, the Council of this Borough decided to
inaugurate a system of voluntary notification of Phthisis and to pay
to medical practitioners certifying cases the usual fees of 2s. 6d. and
Is. The announcement of the decision of the Council was not
made publicly known at the time owing to the epidemic of Small
Pox engaging our attention, hence the notification of Phthisis up to
the present time has not been general. The Mayor of Southwark,
who has this work very much at heart, recently invited the medical
practitioners of the district to meet him and a few members of the
Council's Health Committee with a view of discussing the subject.
The Conference was held on January 15th, and was attended by
a good representative body of the medical men of the Borough.
There appeared to be throughout the discussion entire unanimity on
some important points. It was felt by all that in this voluntary
notification of Phthisis, if any good were to be obtained, it could only
be by a cordial co-operation of the Council and the medical men of the