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24
The Local Government Board agree generally with the findings of the
Committee, and emphasize the point that any scheme which is to form the basis
of an attempt to deal with the problem of tuberculosis should be available for the
whole community.
This Committee in their interim report recommend that for the prevention,
detection and treatment of tuberculosis, existing public health administration
should be supplemented by the establishment and equipment of two units linked
up to the general public health and medical work now carried on and working in
harmony with the general medical practitioners. The first unit consists of the
tuberculosis dispensary, and the second of an institution in which in-patient
treatment is given.
The Committee expressed the opinion that the unit area for administration
should generally be that of the County, County Borough, or groups of Counties
and County Boroughs, and schemes should be undertaken by the Councils of
Counties or County Boroughs, or by Joint Councils.
In London, it seemed desirable to the Committee, that it should be considered
whether some of the Sanatoria and Hospitals should not be provided by the
Metropolitan Asylums Board, and whether dispensaries should not be provided by
the Metropolitan Borough Councils. Power is given to Sanitary Authorities
under Section 75 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to provide hospitals
and the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Eegulations, 1911, give power to Sanitary
Authorities to supply medical or other assistance.
The Eeport (par. 18) set out the functions of a dispensary to be :—
(1.) Eeceiving House and centre of diagnosis.
(2.) Clearing House and centre for observation.
(3.) Centre for curative treatment (home treatment).
(4.) Centre for the examination of contacts.
(5.) Centre for after care.
(6.) Information Bureau and Educational centre.
The Committee expressed the opinion that one dispensary would be required
for every 150,000 to 200,000 of the population.
The Holborn Council adopted the following resolutions :—
(a) That the Council agrees with the views expressed by the Departmental
Committee on tuberculosis that Sanatoria and Hospitals required
or London should be provided by the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
(b) That it is desirable that a Tuberculosis Dispensary should be
established in or for the Borough.