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the cost of treating non-insured persons—the funds available for
sanatorium treatment of insured persons under the National Insurance
Act being recoverable from insured persons.
Many comprehensive schemes have been adopted throughout
the country, and a considerable number of Authorities have
already provided Tuberculosis Dispensaries and appointed Tuberculosis
Medical Officers; but many important questions, such as
the provision of suitable Sanatoria by the County and Borough
Councils, the utilisation of general hospitals for the treatment,
isolation, and educational training of advanced cases, and the
relation of the dispensary to home treatment by medical practioners,
have yet to be satisfactorily settled. So far as London
is concerned, a provisional arrangement has been made between the
London County Council and the Metropolitan Asylums Board for
the utilisation of certain hospitals as Sanatoria, and a considerable
proportion of the Metropolitan Boroughs (8) have now
provided themselves with Tuberculosis Dispensaries, and 6 others
propose to establish the Dispensary system in connection with
the out-patient department of existing hospitals.
The special difficulties in the way of the provision of a Tuberculosis
Dispensary in Stoke Newington are considerable, and they
form a good argument in favour of the County Council drawing
up a scheme which meets the needs of the Metropolis, and which
will not necessarily be hampered by considerations of Municipal
boundary lines.
Various circulars relating to Pulmonary Tuberculosis were
issued by the Local Government Board during the past year. In
the Circular of May 14th, 1912, the Board state that they agree
generally with the findings of the Departmental Committee, which
was appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to advise as to
the provisions which should be made for persons suffering from
Consumption; and the Board commends the Report to the serious
consideration of Local Authorities. In a Circular of July 6th,