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33
Tuberculosis Control.
On the 22nd January the Borough Council approved of the establishment
of a Home of Rest for advanced cases of pulmonary tuberculosis,
jointly with neighbouring boroughs. The scheme, however, was finally
abandoned in view of the fact that the central authorities were making
provision vitally affecting the future administration of the control and
treatment of tuberculosis in London.
Dr. Murdoch Macdonald resigned his post of Tuberculosis Officer
in June, 1920, and from the 19th July I had the temporary assistance of
Dr. J. R. Rees, pending the present Tuberculosis Officer, Dr. Donnelly
taking up his duties, which he did on August 23rd.
Dr. Donnelly has prepared a summary of the tuberculosis work
which is appended. In reference to his remarks regarding the home
conditions, both the suggestions regarding the obtaining of extra
accommodation—grant in aid of an extra room—and in certain cases
the giving of a bed on loan—I have had experience of. The extra
accommodation subsidised did not find favour many years ago with the
Local Government Board owing to difficulties of financial control, but
I have seen the same system applied by a Society. The loaning of
beds is more feasible, but in all these matters the difficulty in London
is multiple control. The patient comes under the dispensary or not,
and is under another authority for indoor institutional treatment, while
the home attention of the insured devolves upon the panel doctor.
These conditions do not make for simplification. An authority which
controls all tuberculosis work, including treatment, can in suitable cases
easily lend beds.
Advanced cases are best dealt with in a home such as was considered
as I have before mentioned.
The work of the After Care Committee in Deptford has been so
well carried out that it seems but a just reward that it receive all the
supplementary assistance possible.
Tuberculosis Dispensary.
Dr. Donnelly reports as follows :—
In June of this year, Dr. Macdonald, who was Tuberculosis Officer
of the Borough for six years, resigned, and a locum tenens carried on
the work until the present Tuberculosis Officer took up his duties at the
end of August.
This report must consequently suffer from the loss of Dr. Macdonald's
many year's experience of the patients and their conditions of life and
from the interruption necessitated by the change over.