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admitted to any Sanatorium. These are sometimes too
advanced for it to be wise to send them away.
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,
and to prevent infection in the home, the Public Health
Committee decided in 1910 to provide shelters for loan to
needy consumptives for use in their garden or back yard.
After inspecting shelters used by Dr. Lyster, of Great
Baddow, 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
shelters can be closed by canvas or wooden shutters on each
side, or can be entirely open above 2 feet 6 inches from the
ground all round. Nine shelters of this type have been,
provided, and two cheaper ones made in Street (Somerset).
One Lyster (all canvas) shelter was purchased last year.
These have been in almost continual use. Not one is at
present (April 24th) disengaged. 7 are occupied by men,
3 by women, and 1 by a boy. The oost of the Woolwich
shelter is about £9, and the cost of the Street shelter £4.
These shelters are lent at a small rent varying from
1s. 6d. to 3d. per week, according to means. Only those who
have no source of income are now exempted from payment.
The weekly call to collect the rent insures that the shelter
is being used. Shelters were lent to 22 persons last year,
17 men, 4 women, and 1 boy. 4 of these had the shelter
free, 1 paid 3d., 15 paid 6d., and 2, 1s. a week. Two have
been occupied by married women for nearly three years.
Most of the patients using shelters are now under the supervision
of the Tuberculosis Dispensary.