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Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
119
The following report was submitted to the Public Health
Committee on the 17th October:—
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH ON THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY.
" The previous reports on this subject, which have been made
have shown generally what the work of a Dispensary should be,,
but it is to be noted that the essential element of any scheme is
not the building but the Medical Officer, who is to be designated
the Tuberculosis Officer, and to carry out the duties which will
devolve upon him he must give his whole time to the work of the
Dispensary.
"It may be advisable to quote from the Interim Report of the
Departmental Committee what the functions of the Tuberculosis
Dispensary should be'.
(1) Receiving house and centre of diagnosis.
(2) Clearing house and centre of observation.
(3) Centre of curative treatment.
(4) Centre for examination of contracts.
(5) Centre for "after care."
(6) Information bureau and educational centre.
" It will be noted that the work of the Dispensary will include
not only clinical, but also preventive and administrative work.
" To effectually fulfil all these functions it is advisable for the
Dispensary to be as central as possible, but in this Borough it would
be advisable in the first place to establish one central Dispensary
with one Branch Dispensary.
" With reference to the position of the buildings to be used.
After careful study of a spot map showing the localities from which
cases have been notified, I am of opinion that it would be most
convenient for the central Dispensary to be established in Wandsworth,
and a branch Dispensary in Balham, at a point near the boundary
of Clapham parish. The cases in Putney and Streatham being
comparatively few, could, owing to the convenient means of transit
now existing, attend either of the Dispensaries.