CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY, ,
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—Thore is only one charitable society in London providing the consumptive poor, irrespective of creed or denomination, with sanatorium treatment. That is the Charity Organization Society. Failure of the Society's work in this respect is threatened through lack 'of public support. This failure will react heavily on those hospitals, dispensaries for the prevention of consumption, and other institutions which rely on the Society to provide sanatorium treatment for their patients. Even after the National Insurance
Act comes into operation there must be a considerable interval before sanatorium treatment is available, under the provisions of the Act, for many of those who require it. Even then it is prob- able that the Society will still be called upon to help patients who will not be included within the scope of the Act.
The work done by the Soeiety since 1902 in providing sanatorium treatment for the poor who are in an early stage of consumption has met with considerable success, but, though highly praised by those who understand it, it is little known to the publics generally. The Society limits the provision of this form of treatment to those passed by a medical referee ; they are kept away as long as the doctors consider necessary, their families are provided for and, on their return, efforts are made to find them suitable work, The benefits of sanatorium treatment are not confined to the patient ; in almost every case this treatment has saved members of the family from infection: directly, because the source of infection is gone ; indirectly, because on his return he can teac h the lessons he has learnt at the sanatorium. It is not an over- statement to say that in many instances the sending of a patient to a sanatorium saves the lives of three or four other persons who would otherwise have been constantly exposed to infection. It may be well. to add that the Society does not confine itself, in dealing with eons umptivea, to sanatorium treatment. Those not passed by the medical referee are, if suitable, sent to hospitals, to homes for advanced cases, or elsewhere as he may advise. The Society visits regularly those it has treated to ascertain if their health is maintained. All those who had been sent away since 1902 were visited early this year, and over 52 per cent, were found to be working or fit for work. This result, which compares most favourably with those obtained elsewhere, is due to the careful selection and treatment of eases. The Society's methods have frequently been praised in the medical Press, and they have earned the appreciation, not only of the sanatorium doctors, but of the medical profession generally. We appeal to the charitable public to assist the Society in Carrying on this most important work. Donations and subscrip- tions, marked "Sanatorium Fund," should be sent to C. S. Loch, Secretary, Charity Organization Society, Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W., or to Messrs. Coutts and Co., Strand,
We are, Sir, &c., A. F. Loisnois.
THOS. BOOR CROSBY, M.D., Lord Mayord Wthmezx °BLEB, M.D., F.R.C.P. ARTHUR Liernam, M.D., F.R.C.P.
W. ASTOR, M.P. SANDERSON,
Chairman of Council, Charity Organization Society.
Charity Organisation Society, Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W.
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