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62
healthy occupations and conditions of life are required on
return home. Suitable work, a guaranteed income, and the
provision of a garden shelter, would probably improve the
sanatorium results 50 per cent.
83. The Economy of Sanatorium Treatment. This subject
was fully dealt with in my Annual Report for 1909.
84. Shelters for Consumptives. Although open-air treatment
for consumption can best be carried out in the first
instance at a Sanatorium, there are many cases for which it
is desirable such treatment should be tried who cannot be
admitted to any Sanatorium. These are sometimes too
advanced for it to be wise to send them to a distance, but
open-air 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. The use of such shelters also prevents infection in the
home.
In July, 1910, the Public Health Committee decided to
obtain two shelters, to be lent to needy consumptives for use
in their garden or back yard. After inspecting shelters used
by Dr. Lyster, of Great Baddow, at that village with great
success, a simple construction was devised by the Chief
Sanitary Inspector which is easily transportable, will exclude
wind and rain, is durable, and at the same time enables
the patient to be always virtually in the open air. These