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133
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Notification of Consumption.
The Local Government Board issued an Order in December,
1908, to provide for the notification to the Medical Officers of
Health of Sanitary Authorities of cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
occurring amongst the inmates of Poor Law Institutions, or
amongst persons under the care of District Medical Officers, and
for the taking of certain measures in such cases.
This Order came into force on January 1st, 1909, and the
following report was made to the Public Health Committee on the
26th April, 1909. The report was not made earlier, as it was
thought advisable to wait for three months to ascertain the
number of cases that would be notified in that period.
"REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
ON THE NOTIFICATION OF PULMONARY
TUBERCULOSIS OR CONSUMPTION.
"In January, 1903, a Report was made to the Council
dealing with the above, and since that date the voluntary
system of notification has been in force in this Borough.
"In that Report I dealt fully with the question, pointing
out the benefits that would possibly result from such notification,
more especially in the more closely populated localities
and among the necessitous poor.
"It was also pointed out that the provision of Sanatoria
would be beneficial, but that permanent good could not be
expected unless the patient is prohibited from returning to
town life and work.
"In my Report for 1908, a Table is inserted showing the
number of cases notified since 1903, the number of cases in
which death occurred, the number removed and recovered,
and the number living at the close of the year 1908.
K