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74
In this connection the circular deals with the importance of efficient notification.
It is suggested that delayed notification, which is unfortunately
still frequent, is due to two causes : (i) practitioners not infrequently continue
to treat doubtful cases for prolonged periods without recourse to specialist
advice; (ii) the failure of the tuberculous patient to seek medical advice until
the disease is far advanced.
The first of these causes of delay should be overcome as medical practitioners
become aware of the special facilities for diagnosis that are available
at the Tuberculosis Dispensary. The second must be combated by developing
the educational side of anti-tuberculosis work so that it may be generally
realized that a tuberculous patient has the best prospect of recovering from
the disease when treatment begins in the earliest stage and that it is of vital
importance to seek skilled advice at the earliest possible moment if there is
the slightest suspicion that the lungs may be affected.
A letter was sent to the medical practitioners in the Borough in January,
1931, in which their attention was directed to the provisions of the new regulations
and to the considerations contained in circular 1107.
Prior to the opening of the new Tuberculosis Dispensary, an account of
which will be found in this section of the report, the Notification Register was
kept at the Town Hall.
When a dispensary staffed by whole time officers of the Public Health
Department was opened it appeared that administration would be simplified
if the Notification Register was transferred to the Dispensary. This plan
was adopted and works well. The visit following notification required by the
regulations is made by one of the tuberculosis visitors, whose duties now include
the visiting just referred to, subsequent visits to cases other than Dispensary
cases, and visits to Dispensary cases.
Particulars regarding the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations,
1930, are supplied to the Ministry of Health in the following form:—