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With a view to the prevention of the spread of infection from cases of
consumption, sanitary authorities may :
(i) "Take all such measures, or do all such things as are authorised in any
case of infectious disease or of dangerous infectious disease, by any
enactment relating to public health, and as have reference to the
destruction and disinfection of infected articles or the cleansing or
disinfection of premises."
(ii) "Take all such measures or do all such things as are appropriate and
necessary for the safe disposal or destruction of infectious material
produced and discharged as a result of pulmonary tuberculosis; and
otherwise for the prevention of the spread of infection from any such
material."
(iii) "Afford or supply all such assistance, facilities or articles as, within
such reasonable limits as the circumstances of the case require, and
allow, will obviate, or remove, or diminish the risk of infection arising
from the conditions affecting the use or occupation of any room, when
used or occupied by the poor person as a sleeping apartment; and "
(iv) "furnish, for the use of the poor person, on loan, or otherwise any
appliance, apparatus, or utensil which will be of assistance for the
purpose of any precaution against the spread of infection."
The sanitary authority may also provide, publish, or distribute in the form
of placards, hand-bills, or leaflets, suitable summaries of information and instruction,
respecting pulmonary tuberculosis and the precautions to be taken against
the spread of infection.
An important point to be noted is that neither sanitary authorities nor
their officers are directly or indirectly authorised to put in force as regards any
poor consumptive person, who may have been notified in pursuance of the
regulations, any enactment rendering the poor person or any one in charge of
the poor person liable to penalty, restriction, prohibition or disability affecting
himself or his employment means of livelihood or residence on the grounds
of his suffering from consumption.
In accordance with the requirements of these regulations during the year
217 certificates were received as to consumptive inmates of poor law institutions,
178 from the district medical officers as to consumptive patients upon
whom they were attending as officers of the guardians, and 1G3 relating to the
discharge of consumptives from poor law institutions. There was also one
instance in which a relieving officer notified the change of address of a poor
person with consumption. Altogether 559 certificates were received referring
to 313 persons suffering from consumption. The addresses given on the certificates
were visited by the sanitary inspectors, and as far as practicable such steps
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