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65
The Dispensary was opened on 1st February, 1913, and the medical
practitioners in the Borough were communicated with and their attention
called to the Dispensary.
The scheme, therefore, by which tuberculosis patients are dealt
with in the Borough is as follows:—
The Medical Officer of Health receives the notification in the
ordinary way. A lady Sanitary Inspector, specially trained
in the work, visits the home and reports fully on each case,
and these reports are duly filed. On receiving these reports
the Medical Officer of Health decides what cases are suitable
for treatment, visiting, etc., by the Tuberculosis Medical
Officer and the Dispensary Staff; and when a patient has
been referred to, or has once applied to the Dispensary, the
subsequent treatment and home visiting is left to the Staff of
the Dispensary, otherwise a case is kept under the immediate
control of the Medical Officer of Health. In both cases the
necessary instructions in the precautions that a patient should
observe is given.
During 1912, while pulmonary tuberculosis only was notifiable and
the work of visitation, etc., was in Inspector Mrs. Fisher's hands, 704
visits were made.
Pending further developments in connection with the Tuberculosis
Dispensary, arrangements have been made with local chemists to dispense
all prescriptions of the Medical Officer of Health or the Tuberculosis
Medical Officer at the same rates as have been agreed upon in
connection with the Medical Insurance Act, and these arrangements
seem to bid fair to work well.
Disinfection is carried out during the lifetime of patients, and also
after death. The total number of premises so disinfected during 1912
was 194.
The Council arrange for the free bacteriological examination of
specimens from suspected cases of consumption. In 1912 the total
number of specimens examined was 67, of which 13 were positive and 54
negative. Now that the Tuberculosis Dispensary has been opened, this
work will be undertaken by the Tuberculosis Medical Officer.