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vanced for it to be wise to send them to a distance, but openair
treatment would certainly prolong their life, diminish infection,
and in some cases sufficiently restore them as to enable
a resumption of ordinary duties. Many cases too who have
had temporary treatment at a Sanatorium find it difficult or
impossible to continue the open-air treatment at home as is
desirable. For such cases the plan of using an open-air
shelter, erected in the garden, has been tried with success in
Edinburgh, Paddington, and other places. The use of such
shelters also prevents infection in the home.
In July, the Public Health Committee decided to obtain
two shelters of a type used in Edinburgh and Paddington,
to be lent to needy consumptives for use in their garden or
back-yard. These shelters were closed on three sides, and
entirely open on the fourth, which was provided with a
canvas curtain which could be let down like a shop blind
in wet weather. They, however, did not exclude the rain
and cold winds, and were accordingly altered, after inspecting
shelters used by Dr. Lyster of Great Baddow at that village
with great success. The new shelters can be closed by
canvas or wooden shutters (see illustration) on each side, or
can be entirely open above 2 ft. 6 in. from the ground all
round. Four shelters of this type are now in use by three
women and one man, all patients who have been to Peppard
Sanatorium and had not entirely recovered or had relapsed
after their return.
The results have been completely satisfactory. The
patients use them mainly for sleeping at night, while they
perform their duties as far as possible during the day. One
patient had been given up by her medical man as a hopeless
case, but is now again looking after her house and family,