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10
COUNTY SANATORIUM FOR CONSUMPTION.
I deeply regret that I have again to report that the
great count of Middlesex has made no progress in the
provision of a County Sanatorium for Consumption.
There is, however, some prospect of its being done by
private co-operation. Every county in England should
have one or more of these institutions. They would
promptly receive cases in the earlier and curable stages,
and thereby not only prevent much suffering and many
deaths, but restore a large number of bread-winners to
heal th and usefulness, and prevent the spread of this terrible
disease. Owing to the present quite inadequate
accommodation in sanatoria for consumption, many
patients have to wait for several months before they can
be admitted, and by this delay opportunities for cure are
frequently lost.
Humanity is shocked when tens of thousands of
lives are quickly lost in such a calamity as a great earthquake
even on distant shores, but the National conscience
is not yet sufficiently touched by the fact that yearly
50,000 of our own countrymen die from this preventable
cause. The national burden owing to disablement of so
many bread-winners from consumption would be greatly
lightened if adequate provision were made for the
prompt treatment and ultimate extinction of the disease.
Many voluntary institutions are unable to receive
cases owing to inadequate financial support, and this
makes it incumbent on sanitary authorities to consider
whether they should make financial arrangements with
those institutions to induce them to receive cases occurring
in their districts. I, therefore, recommend the
Council to take this matter into serious consideration.
MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Owing to the courtesy of Dr. Young, Medical Officer
of Health for the County, I am able to report as
follows:—
The district of Harrow forms part of the area which
for purposes of public elementary education is under the
jurisdiction of the Education Committee of the County
Council of Middlesex.
For the purpose of carrying out the medical inspection
of school children in the public elementary schools.