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39
Consumption (Phthisis).
A voluntary system of notification of cases of phthisis has
been in force in the District for rather more than four years.
During 1907, four notification certificates were received from
medical practitioners; in 1906 the number was seven, and
in each of the two preceding years, eight. As cases can only
be notified with the consent of the patient, the certificates
received represent only a small proportion of those affected.
Improved sanitation has undoubtedly assisted in bringing
about a decline in the death-rate from Phthisis during the
past few decades, and as the spread of infection can be controlled
to a great extent if simple precautionary measures are
taken by those affected with the disease, there is every reason
to anticipate a further considerable reduction in the
mortality.
The vexed question of the possible transference of bovine
tuberculosis to man has been the subject of careful investigation
under the Royal Commission appointed in 1901. In
their second Interim Report, issued in 1907, the Commissioners
stated as follows :—
" There can be no doubt but that in a certain number of
" cases the tuberculosis occurring in the human subject,
" especially in children, is the direct result of the intro"
duction into the human body of the bacillus of bovine
"tuberculosis; and there also can be no doubt that in the
" majority at least of these cases the bacillus is introduced
" through cow's milk. Cow's milk containing bovine tubercle
" bacilli is clearly a cause of tuberculosis and of fatal tuber"
culosis in man."
Better control over the conditions under which the milksupply
of the country is produced and distributed is generally
recognised as necessary, and a Government Bill dealing with
the subject has been promised. Meanwhile the powers