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This idea apparently did not commend itself to the Local Government Board,
who eventually laid it down that the Borough was in each case the unit and the
Council of the Borough the body responsible for forming the scheme, so far, at
least, as the dispensary was concerned.
This ruling was not communicated to the Council till nearly the end of 1913.
As soon as it was received, however, the work of drafting the scheme was put in
hand.
The work was not completed till after the New Year, and further consideration
is deferred until the end of 1914, when it is to be hoped that it will have been in
operation for some months, and some idea of how it has worked may also be given.
No advance whatever was made in connection with that part of the scheme
relating to sanatoria and hospitals. This is a matter with which the London
County Council are expected to deal, and they will in time, no doubt, come forward
with a scheme for the whole of the Metropolis.
Bacteriological Diagnosis of Consumption. There was a very great increase
in the number of specimens of expectoration sent by medical men for bacteriological
examination, from cases in which there was some doubt as to the diagnosis. The
total number was 672 (as against 271 in 1912), of which 120 were found to contain
the bacillus of tuberculosis, and the remainder to be free from this organism.
This increase is probably due, amongst other causes, to the introduction of
compulsory notification and the increase in the number of contacts. Part of it, it is
hoped, is due to an increase in the interest taken by the inhabitants in their own
health, and the increased facilities for obtaining medical advice provided by the
National Insurance Act.
The St. Marylebone Dispensary for the Prevention of Consumption. Some
reference has already been made to the work done by the Dispensary in Allsop
Place. The following short summary of what was done in 1913 has very kindly
been sent by Dr. Halliday Sutherland, the Medical Officer.
Dr. Sutherland writes:—
During the year 1913 419 patients were examined at the Dispensary and
271 were examined in their own homes. Of these, 207 were found to be
definitely tuberculous and 40 were suspected cases. Children under 15
numbered 233, and of these 106 were found to be tuberculous, 23 were suspected
cases and 106 were non-tuberculous. The Medical Officer paid 1,153 visits to
patients in their own homes, and the Dispensary Sister paid 2,219 domiciliary
visits. The number of individual attendances of patients at the Dispensary
was 8,346.
The number of persons insured under the National Insurance Act coming
under treatment at the Dispensary for the first time was 59, but the number of
those actually under treatment, including insured persons continuing their
attendance from previous years, was 99.
In all, 418 patients were actually receiving treatment at the Dispensary in