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84
Report of Tuberculosis Officer—continued
Notes on Tables of Notifications.
Re Death Returns and Posthumous Notfiicatious.
Of the non-pulmonary cases, 2 died of meningitis, one in hospital
just after family had moved into the Borough, the other had been
notified elsewhere.
Of the pulmonary cases, two were transfers into the Borough who
had been previously notified elsewhere, and one a case who had not
been diagnosed by his doctor till just before death.
Of the cases dying within a month of notification.
4 were cases of meningitis, 4 were cases of pulmonary tuberculosis
one of whom died of Hodgkins Disease, the other three were hospital
notifications who died soon after notification, one being admitted
from a lodging house, one after being off work for two weeks only.
Of the cases dying within 3 months of notification.
All pulmonary tuberculosis; one was notified from hospital, two
were lodging house cases, one was age 65, one had diabetes, one had
been notified elsewhere previously, one was a child whose father
was found subsequently to be suffering from tuberculosis.
Explanations have been requested from notifying doctors where
patients have died very soon after notification, or from doctors
certifying causes of death where patients died un-notified. Of
29 cases who transferred into the Borough during the year 15 were
seen and formally notified.
It is unsatisfactory from the preventive aspect that a proportion
of cases die un-notified in an area, or notified only a short time
before death. Some patients with chronic disease who transfer
from one area to another do not wish to attend the Dispensary, and
even dislike being visited. If they think they know how to look
after themselves a doctor may not be called in till near death. The
Supplemental Return may include deaths of persons who have not
really resided in the area for years, such as mental hospital cases.
Also lodging-house residents, who move frequently from one area
to another, may not be known of in the area in which they die until
they enter hospital, when very ill, although they may have been
notified previously in some other area.