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28
Committee). In this report the Medical Officer of Health of the London
County Council points out that in 18 districts of London including the City,
a system of voluntary notification is in vogue, and he suggests that this system
should be adopted in the remaining 11 districts. He also makes what we
consider to be a valuable suggestion, viz.:—that the authorities of Metropolitan
hospitals and dispensaries should be invited to send him notice of the names
and addresses of phthisical patients attending their institutions and that he
should transmit this information to the Medical Officers of Health of the
several Metropolitan Sanitary Authorities.
The Public Health Committee of the London County Council ask whether
this Council is of opinion
(a) That phthisis should be declared under the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, to be a notifiable infectious disease, or
(b) That the system of voluntary notification of the disease should be
adopted throughout London, and that particulars as to out-patients
attending Metropolitan hospitals and dispensaries should be obtained
and circulated in the manner referred to.
(2) The Finsbury Borough Council have passed a resolution directing the
attention of the Local Government Board to the desirability of legislation
being promoted to provide for the compulsory isolation or removal of advanced
cases of phthisis, and ask this Council to take similar action.
(3) The Woolwich Borough Council in their communication inform this
Council that voluntary notification has been in existence in their Borough for
some time, with a decided benefit, but such benefit is limited, and many
medical practitioners do not notify such cases without the consent of their
patients. That Council also points out that the London County Council has
the power with the sanction of the Local Government Board to make phthisis
a compulsory notifiable disease, and that as it is only suggested to apply the
notification sections of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, there would be
no interference with the movements of the patient, and they have asked the
London County Council to take this course and suggest that this Council
should make a similar request.
(4) The National Association for the Prevention of Consumption send
a circular pointing out how Consumption can and should be dealt with, by
organised and co-ordinated effort on the part of Public Authorities and we
have asked that Association to supply a copy of this circular to each member
of the Council.