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Of the 258 cases, therefore, a history of Tuberculosis in a near
relative was elicited in 31.4 per cent. and in a remote relative
8.5 per cent. In all 39.9 per cent. gave a family history of
Tuberculosis.
"Contacts."—192 "contacts" were examined during the
year, 72 being adults and 120 children. Of this number four
were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis.
The majority of the "Contacts" who attend the Dispensary
are children of school age and it is uncommon to find pulmonary
Tuberculosis of the adult type in children of this age. As has already
been pointed out it is found difficult to persuade the young adult
"contact" to submit himself for examination. It is at this period
of life that the incidence of the disease and the mortality rate is
highest and, no doubt, the results of "contact" examination would
be more valuable if the young adult could be persuaded to attend.
The total number of attendances at the Dispensary during
the year was 3,967 compared with 3,912 in the previous year.
167 visits were paid by the Tuberculosis Officer to the homes
of patients and 4,531 by the Dispensary Nursing Staff.
Number of Dispensary patients who died during 1929 146
Number of Dispensary patients discharged as "cured" or
disease arrested 38
Number of Dispensary patients who ceased to attend 54
Number of Dispensary patients who removed to other
districts (and transferred to the Medical Officer of
Health of the district concerned) 56
The number of sputum examinations carried out at the Tuberculosis
Dispensary during 1929 was 1,592 or 194 more than in the
previous twelve months. In 305 specimens or 19.16 per cent.
Tubercle Bacilli were found to be present. Of the total number
of specimens examined 619 were sent by medical practitioners
and 399 were examined for St. James's Hospital. It is the routine
procedure at the Dispensary to examine the sputum of each new
patient who attends if a specimen can be obtained and in many