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had either died, or were suffering from Consumption at the time
of the inquiry; and that in 10 other cases there was a history of
Consumption in the brothers or sisters of the parents. Where the
parents themselves had either died or were living and suffering
from the disease, in 20 cases it was the father, in 8 cases the
mother, and in one case both parents, who were consumptive.
It was found that the period during which the various
individuals notified had been suffering from the disease varied
considerably; from two or three weeks to as long as twenty
years in one case. It is impossible to define the period in a large
number of cases, so insidious is the disease in its early stages
when it is commonly regarded as nothing more than a cough.
But it is clear that 48 patients had suffered from the disease
for less than 12 months, and 52 for over 12 months at the time
when the inquiries were made. In 10 cases the duration of the
disease had averaged 10 years. Twelve of the patients had previously
been in Sanatoria.
The most frequent causes of the disease, in the opinion of
the patients themselves, were exposure to wet and cold, influenza,
repeated colds and winter coughs. Contact with a previous case
was alleged to have been the source of infection in two cases,
and the special circumstances of one case made this very probable.
The occupations of the persons notified were very various.
Indeed, almost all kinds of employment are entered upon the
inquiry forms; and there is nothing to indicate any special prevalence
of the disease in any particular form of occupation, when
one bears in mind the varying extent to which different occupations
attract the working-class population.
The compulsory notification of the disease has disclosed
several instances (7) in which the patients had not been informed
by the doctor notifying the disease that they were suffering from
it. It is unfair to place the onus of conveying this information
upon the sanitary official; and the advice which he can offer is