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39
In Falham a fourth event can be added to this
list. Domicilliary therapy was commenced on a mass
scale for the first time early in 1950. The allocation
of eight general hospital beds in the Western
Hospital, for short stay for acute cases encourages
the hope that the scope of this type of therapy may
expand
"Because of the lack of staff etc., it has only
recently become possible to introduce this form of
therapy in Fulham. The development of this type of
therapy opens up the possibility of dealing more
rapidly and effectively with the threat to public
health of the tuberculosis problem in Fulham.
Official encouragement and drive from the Ministry
of Health, Regional Hospital Boards and Hospital
Management Committees, is the oil which will lubricate
the wheels of this programme. But at the moment it
appears that no money will be available.
SANATORIUM TREATMENT
The Ministry of Health announced during the year
that there were 10,000 patients awaiting Sanatorium
treatment in England and Wales. During the year an
increased number of patients from Fulham have been
sent to hospital and sanatorium and the waiting period,
especially for women, is still about twelve months.
There has been some slight improvement for the men,
particularly those waiting to go to King George V.
Sanatorium, Godalming. The long wait, often from
twelve to eighteen months, for major surgery can only
be described as disastrous."
Quoting from the figures supplied by Dr. Price, it
will be noticed that in 1938 the number of new cases
notified during the year in Fulham was 200, whereas in
1949, 239 were notified. I think this reflects the
increase in tuberculosis notifications which is a general
feature and which was the same after the first World War,
when figures went up slightly.
There is no doubt that the housing problem with its
evils of overcrowding, etc., together with the stresses
and strains of the war years is responsible for the
increase, but I expect that with energetic action this
will tend to drop as before.
In the Chest Clinic many innovations have been
introduced and there is no doubt that the scientific
aids to diagnosis of early cases (for instance, the great
increase in the number of X ray and screening examinations
now made available is a tremendous advantage) and