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61
last, and it appears to them that the proposed arrangements for staffing
the dispensary need further consideration. As at present advised, they
are disposed to consider that, in addition to a part-time Consulting
Officer, a Medical Officer will be required who possesses special qualifications
for the treatment of tuberculosis, and who will give the whole of
his time to the work of the tuberculosis dispensary. The Board also wish
to be informed whether the time given by the Consulting Officer to the
work of the tuberculosis dispensary will be sufficient to admit of his
examining all persons who attend at the dispensary.
I am further to state that in the Board's view the tuberculosis
dispensary should be a centre for treatment as well as diagnosis, and they
would wish to receive an assurance that provision will be made at the
dispensary for the treatment of all cases which can properly be treated
at that institution.
I am also to state that before further considering the question of
making a grant the Board would require to be satisfied (1) that suitable
arrangements have been made for co-ordinating the work of the tuberculosis
dispensary with the preventive work of the Medical Officer of
Health for the Borough and (2) that the Borough Council will be
adequately represented on the Committee of Management, the Medical
Officer of Health being a member.
I am to add that as a condition of making a capital grant towards
the cost of the tuberculosis dispensary the Board would require the
authorities of the dispensary and the Borough Council to enter into an
agreement providing that the tuberculosis dispensary should be handed
over to the Borough Council and maintained by them to the satisfaction
of the Board in the event of the authorities of the dispensary failing to
do so.
As regards the estimated cost of the dispensary, shown in the
statement enclosed with Dr. Sykes' letter of the 27th ult., the Board
desire to be informed on what ground it is considered equitable to charge
to the tuberculosis dispensary two-thirds of the total cost, and, in the
case of the X ray apparatus and the laboratory fittings, the whole cost.
The Board gather from a comparison of the statements as to capital
cost and to cost of maintenance that the lease of the premises has been
purchased for £750 out of borrowed moneys, provision being included in
the maintenance estimate for the repayment of this sum in apparently 30
years, and if such is the case they would be glad to be informed why a
capital grant is required towards the cost of acquiring the lease. In this
connection I am to draw attention to the Financial recommendations on
page 27 of the Interim Report of the Departmental Committee on
Tuberculosis, and especially to paragraph 1 under "Capital" as to the
amount of capital grants available for dispensaries."
The following reply was directed to be sent by the Council on the 18th
December, 1912:-—
" The Council is informed that the St. Pancras Dispensary offer the
following replies for the purpose of complying with the requirements of
your Board, as expressed in your letter of the 25th October last.