London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hackney 1912

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]

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137
to the Local Government Board, in a memorandum recently issued
on " Administrative Measures against Tuberculosis," remarks: "A
well organised Tuberculosis Dispensary becomes a valuable aid in
securing more general notification of cases of Tuberculosis"—i.e.,
in detecting cases of Tuberculosis. Particulars as to the work of
such an institution, the results obtainable, the cost of establishment
and maintenance are given in a special report, which I submitted
to the Public Health Committee on the 2nd March, 1911. (See
Report appended).
(2) Prevention of Spread.
(а) To limit the spread of this disease, it is most essential that
sufferers should be made acquainted with the way in which the
disease is spread, and taught how to act, especially how to properly
dispose of their expectorations, so that they will not be a danger
to their families or the public. What has been done in this direction
has already been described, but a Tuberculosis Dispensary would
carry on still further this educational work.
(b) Further, the Council might help forward the work of
prevention by retaining a few beds in certain sanatoria for selected
cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, because, apart from its curative
effect, temporary abode in a Sanatorium is the most effectual means
of educating a tuberculous patient in the precautions he should
adopt, in order to prevent transmission of infection to other persons.
The cost would amount to about 30s. a bed per week.
(c) The Council might also make arrangements to supply
gratuitously on loan portable shelters for cases which are advised
to live as much as possible in the open air. The cost of a portable
shelter amounts to about £6, or £7.
(d) I wish here to draw special attention to one class of patients
suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, that is, the children attending
Public Elementary Schools. As stated above, such cases are
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