London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Wandsworth 1923

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

44 Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Several unattached members interested in Tuberculosis work
are also co-opted.
The Officers of the Committee are:—
Chairman. Councillor T. Harding.
Vice-Chairman. Miss J. M. Duff.
Hon. Secretary. Mr. A. R. Watson.
Hon. Joint Secretary. Mrs. Nicol.
Hon. Treasurer. Mr. H. B. Harvey.
Meetings.—The Committee meets on alternate Friday afternoons
at 00, East Hill, S.W. 18, at 2.30 p.m.
General.—In tbe work of a Tuberculosis Dispensary organisation
there are two fields:—
(1) Medical and Sanitary.
(2) Social and Economic.
The former is the care of the Public Health Authority, i.e.,
Medical Officer of Health, Tuberculosis Officers, and Tuberculosis
Visitors; whilst the latter is within the sphere of activity of the
Care Committee.
Visits have to be paid by workers in both fields, so that close
and friendly co-operation of all concerned is essential in order to
avoid overlapping of work and possibly conflicting advice.
As a result of the re-organisation in the Dispensary Staff already
referred to, most of the routine visits, both for Dispensary and Care
Committee purposes, are now made by the Tuberculosis Visitors
of the respective areas. In this way duplication of visiting and of
effort is avoided.
Functions.—The primary aim of the Care Committee is to
endeavour to improve the social and economic conditions of patients
suffering from Tuberculosis. As most of the charitable institutions
in the neighbourhood are represented on the Committee, much
valuable advice and assistance can be given.
The Committee specially consider the following points :—
(a) The provision of extra nourishment either by the Board
of Guardians or the Wandsworth Borough Council.
(b) The provision of extra bed accommodation.
The Committee own two beds, which are lent out in cases where
there is risk of infection due to imperfect isolation of the patient.
The British Red Cross Society has provided beds and bedding to
several discharged soldiers suffering from Tuberculosis.