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of discovering, and examining, "contacts" in such
houses—a method that is known as "A March Past."
This method has its drawbacks. Both a Medical Officer
and Nurse have to visit the houses, thereby expending a
large amount of valuable time; whilst there is a great
danger of the Medical Officer at the house passing a
contact as sound and, in consequence, unintentionally
misleading, by allowing him or her to become lax in the
carrying out of preventive measures, even though
such contact is still living in contact with active disease.
The method adopted in connection with the Lambeth
Scheme is as follows:—
"Contacts" attend at the Dispensaries, and continue
to attend there from time to time, as may be required, such
"contacts" being readily picked out for attendance at
the Dispensaries by a nurse or other (non-medical)
visitor, when visiting an infected house. In this way the
work of medical observation is concentrated at the Dispensaries,
and the "contacts" are kept under such
observation and treated, as required, at the same time as
are the patients in connection with whom they are
"contacts." Not only are the individual patients treated,
but also the whole families. The details of each family and
particulars as to the house and living arrangements are obtained
by the visiting official who, as far as possible, makes
a periodical visit (not less than once a month) at the notified
house, visiting, as required, urgent cases daily or twice
weekly. The inmates of these notified houses are also
educated in preventive measures by these visiting
officials.
(5) Centre for "After-Care."
Nothing need be said here as to the importance of
"after-care" of patients treated at sanatoria. The ease
with which this can be carried out depends largely upon
the sanatorium at which the particular patient has been
treated. Some patients will come back after a stay at
a sanatorium with a clear idea of the nature of their
condition and of the method necessary to preserve their
health and to protect their families : whilst others come
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