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Voluntary notification leaves it to the discretion of the medical men attending on cases
of consumption to notify such cases as in their opinion should be brought under the
notice of the Sanitary Authority in the interests of the public health. The usual notification
fee is paid by the Sanitary Authority. There is no official interference with
the freedom of the patient, only such measures are suggested as are likely to be of
service in respect to. the sanitary environment of the patient and the prevention of the
spread of infection. The question of establishing such a system of notification in
Shoreditch was considered by the Health Committee, who., early in the year, recommended
the Council to adopt the voluntary notification of consumption for the period of
one year with a view to ascertaining what beneficial results might be expected from it.
The Council, however, did not adopt the Committee's recommendation.
In all cases where information is received as to deaths from consumption in dwelling
houses in the Borough, communications are sent to the friends of the deceased
advising that proper precautions should be taken as to disinfection, and pointing out that
the necessary measures are carried out by the Borough Council free of charge. A
larger proportion of the deaths from tuberculosis., more especially consumption, occur
in public instiutions where there are responsible Medical Officers able to take all
necessary precautions.
During the year disinfection was carried out by the officers of the Borough
Council in connection with 55 houses in wrhich persons suffering from tuberculosis (in
nearly all cases of the lungs) had resided before death. In some 64 houses more or less
efficient measures were taken by the people resident in preference to allowing the officers
of the Council to do what was necessary.
The question of the provision of sanatoria for consumptive persons belonging
to the Metropolis, which was referred to in my Report for 1903, appears to be in statu
quo. The proposal is that the Managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, with their
unrivalled experience in Hospital Management, are the proper authorities to provide
sanatoria for London and should undertake the duty of doing so. The Managers
have referred to the Local Government Board for an authoritative expression of opinion
and at the time of writing there the matter rests.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND SCHOOLS.
In the following table are set forth the numbers of children belonging to Shoreditch
who were suffering from infectious diseases or were members of households or living in
houses in which infectious diseases existed, concerning whom intimations of exclusion
from school were received from the head-teachers of the schools they attended in accordance
with the requirements of the school management code of the London County
Council:—