CONSUMPTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 245, 9 October 1908, Page 4

CONSUMPTION

HOW JIUNICJUTAUTIES AWE UULNb IN MUIU.N)).

Some interesting details of the energetic light that is lieiug Wiijeu In local aut,noiiti"s in .Scotland with tiiu terrible scourge of consumption—tile "white plague' unit own 1 war slays -IUjIJUU persons in K.iglai.u and Wines alone—are givoa iu a Scottish Local Government Hoard report issued on, ltitli July.

This report shows that compulsory notification of plilhisis lias now been adopted by nine loc.u authorities (including tire large and populous districts of Lanarkshire) in Scotland, and voluntary notification by lilly-itivo local authorities.

Many authorities think if tin.' light I with consumption is to be really successful, notification must be compulsory and general. The results a tla hied by these Scottish local authorities will furnish the Local Government JJoard with invaluable material for testing this contention. And already excellent progress has ibeen made. Leith now isolates cases of phthisis iu spare wards at its infectious diseases hopital.- The district committees of Lanarkshire—where the coal miners of course aiv peculiarly liable to phthisis—have utilised for the same purpose the spares wards <»i the various infectious diseases hospitals throughout the county. So successful has be-eit this proceeding that oUher local authorities are follow/Lig suit, with the warm approval ot the •Scottish Local Government Board. Another notable success has been achieved at Dundee—the first town in Scotland to adopt a municipal dispensary to combat phthisis. Patients are examined and weighed and given medicine at the dispensary; arc given- advice on how to regulate their daily life are visited in their own homes by doctors and a nurse. Most of them ", are at work all the time.

"On every visit," says the nurse, "I have met with a good reception, and am always welcomed when I repeat my visit. . . 1 impress on all patients the danger of infecting olllicimembers of the household, a,id the simple measures necessary for preventing this. . . I had no tfitliculty in persuading patient's friends to keep open windows in tile summer; but a great many who have not Hie means to provide"tlhemselves with sufficiently warm clothing were unable to stand the exposure in the winter. . . I find little difficulty in getting them to carry out tile instructions given them j regarding tlie use. of the disinfectant?; which are supplied free. From this and t'lie experience of other towns, it is clear that the metliods adopted have a valuable educational effect on the poorer classes. For plenty of fresh air, personal cleanliness, no alcoliol—and nourishing food—are t'lie surest mean? of defying tlie "white scourge."