646 winicie dorms SCOTLAND.

[SmPr. 3, 1970,

 

 

OXFORDSHIRE.

 

TUBERCULOSIS IN OXFORDSHIRE.
Av a recent meeting of the Henley Rural Council the
following letter was read from Dr. Osler on the subject
of consumption:

Oxfordshire County Association for the Prevention
of Tuberculosis. .

May Iask you, on behalf of the above association, to lay this
letter before your Council at its next meeting? In view of the
prevalence of consumption, and the absence of any adeqn ate
tmeans for its relief or prevention, the Radclitfe Infirmary has
determined to devote certain hours of its out-patient depart-
ment each week to the treatment of consumptives only coming
from all parts of the district. It will mean a large increase of its
work, and this association is undertaking to make good to the Rad-
cliffe Infirmary any loss it may thereby incur. A doctor will be in
charge, who will devote himself solely to this department and to
preventive work in consumption, in close co-operation with the
infirmary and the sanitary authorities. The Oxford City Council
has granted £100 a year towards his salary. The association
would ask the district councils throughout Oxfordshire to co-
operate in this work by making yearly grants of perhaps £10 to
£15, according to the population they represent—suggesting
that councils representing over 5,000 persons should contribute
£15 a year—and by this means to provide a fund of £150.a year,
which will be needed to raise the doctor’s salary and allowances
to £250. Will your council give this matter its serious con-
sideration? An early answer, if it be favourable, will make the
immediate appointment of a doctor possible, and he can enter
without delay on the special training which this work will need
either at Edinburgh or in some centre where preventive work
in consumption is already in full activity.

Tam, yours very truly,
Wm. OSLER.

With the letter was a table of the number of deaths
from tuberculosis in Oxfordshire. In Henley borough
there wac a population of 5,984, of which there were
six deaths from tuberculosis in 1909, when the deaths
from all causes were 88. In the Henley rural district
the population was 9,123, and the deaths from tuber-
culosis 14,and all other causes 126. The clerk was
instructed to write and ask under what conditions
would patients be admitted to the hospital if they
subscribed the necessary £10 or £15?