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" should receive sanatorium benefit and what kind of treatment should be
" provided for each. In those cases which can best be treated at the Dispensary
" itself, the medical staff will give the necessary treatment. Where the case
" is treated at home under the care of a private practitioner, the Tuberculosis
" Officer will act as a consultant, and, with the Dispensary staff, will assist
" the practitioner in such way as may be necessary."
" When patients return home after a period of treatment in a residential
" institution, prolonged care and medical supervision may frequently be re"
quired, and it will be the duty of the Dispensary Staff to co-operate with the
" private practitioners in carrying this out. The Dispensary Staff will also act
" under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health in carrying out any duties
" that are necessary for his assistance in administrative and preventive work
" for the protection of Public Health, such as the examination of ' contacts,'
" i.e., persons who have been associated with tuberculous persons, and may
" therefore be themselves infected."
A certain proportion of cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in insured persons
will doubtless be treated at home by medical practitioners, and the linking up of
the Dispensary and home treatment of insured persons should be carried out on the
lines laid down in Article 2 of the Local Government Board's Order of the 26th July,
1912, and contacts of insured consumptives, with the consent of the practitioner
in attendance, will be examined by the Medical Officer at the Dispensary.
The work of the Dispensary, in addition to treatment, would be diagnostic,
consultative, bacteriological and statistical ; treatment at the Dispensary would
be provided for all cases in which such treatment is recommended by the Tuberculosis
Officer. The Dispensary will also be available for the attendance of medical
men for instructions in special treatment.
(b) Health Visitors.—The Health Visitor's visits are made in accordance with
the Dispensary programme for the purpose :—
(1) Of seeing that the doctor's instructions to the patient are being properly
carried out ;
(2) Of advising the patients and friends with regard to improvements of
the hygienic conditions of the homes.
From time to time, depending on the individual case, the Health Visitor revisits
the home, endeavouring by tact and sympathy to gain the confidence of the
patient and friends. She advises the " contacts " to attend at the Dispensary for
examination, but if for some reason it is difficult for them to attend she arranges
for their examination at home.