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so that there shall be no break in the continuity of the work, and in return the Council
would take over the liability for the organisation and management of the Dispensaries
in the future. There would be no necessity for members of the Voluntary Committee
to sever their connection with the work of the Dispensaries entirely. They could,
we would point out, be co-opted on the Dispensary Committee and act as a Care
Committee to assist the dependents of Consumptive persons ; provide for their
maintenance during the time the breadwinner is recuperating at a Sanatorium or
other institution, and give other charitable assistance in many directions. We
sincerely hope that they will see their way to co-operate with us in the manner
indicated so that the Borough would still benefit by their services and interest.
The Medical Officer of Health assumed in his first Report that the existing
Dispensaries would be included in the Council's scheme.
Under Scheme 1, the cost after deducting estimated income from the Insurance
Fund in respect of insured persons, would be borne equally by the Treasury and the
local rates, the charge on the rates being estimated at between £700 and £1,000 per
annum.
Under Scheme 2, a grant would, no doubt, be received from the Central Fund
for the Promotion of the Dispensary System (a voluntary organisation) for the
prevention of consumption and the amount of the contribution from the rates would
be reduced to the extent of a moiety of such contribution.
Under Scheme 3, apart from a subsidy, no contribution from the rates would
be required as long as the voluntary subscriptions were collected, and it will be
seen from the resolution passed at our Conference with the Dispensaries Committee
that they are willing to guarantee that no such contribution would be required for
at least twelve months.
In the above cases the estimate of cost is based upon actual experience.
We understand that the Dispensaries Committee refuse to transfer the existing
dispensaries to the Council, or come to any other satisfactory arrangement with us,
and we presume therefore that the Local Government Board will decline permanently
to extend the period of their approval of these dispensaries as part of the Scheme
for dealing with tuberculosis in Stepney, and, consequently, they will not be available
for the treatment of insured persons, nor will the Dispensaries Committee receive
particulars of the notifications of this disease which are sent to the Medical Officer
of Health, and the cases will be dealt with, if necessary, at the Council's Dispensary.
It will be necessary then for the Council to establish a new dispensary, and
four-fifths of the cost of any capital expenditure (not exceeding £1 per 750 population,
say £373) will be paid by the Treasury if the expenditure is approved by the
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