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72
board and a small wage. Of the 21 patients not accounted
for, the majority are believed to be well and at
work in Canada, Australia, South Africa, etc.
The above table accounts for all patients who left the
Sanatorium up to December 31st, 1909. Out of 161 who
have left over one year, 68 are now well and at work, 7
are unwell, 65 have died, and 21 have been lost sight of.
82. Sanatorium treatment can nearly always, in cases
not advanced, improve health and lengthen life. In order
for health to be fully re-established and strength maintained,
the cases must be sufficiently early, and suitable
conditions of life and employment found on return. Unfortunately
the latter condition can seldom be fulfilled, and
hence the large number of recurrences after work has been
resumed. Some too, have suffered from not being able
to find any occupation, others have hurried back to work
before they were fit, for fear of being discharged. Many
are unfit for Sanatorium treatment when they first give up
work, owing to having kept at their employment too long
under the same fear. Consumption is largely a question
of poverty.
The chart on the opposite page shows the decline of
Phthisis in Woolwich compared with England, London,
Lewisham and Greenwich, and the average temperature of
the summer quarter in each year since 1891. It is seen
that since 1900 the decline has been very great in London
and in "Woolwich, but in England, Lewisham and Greenwich,
the death-rate has only fallen to a small extent. It is
noteworthy that in the years 1896-1900 which were noted
for their high summer temperature, there was no fall in
the Phthisis mortality.