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102
Item B.—398 new contacts attended during the year for examination.
In addition to these, 89 contacts who were examined in previous years
and discharged as non-tuberculous, presented themselves with suspicious
symptoms for re-examination during the year, and were similarly grouped
as new cases under Item B on Table I.
Of this total number of 487 new contacts, 20 were found to be
tuberculous.
The apparently much smaller incidence of Tuberculosis among
contacts as compared with non-contacts is to be explained by the fact
that the majority of contacts examined for the first time during the year
(namely 398) came up for examination purely as contacts, that is to say,
they were free from symptoms; whereas all the non-contacts seen for
the first time during the year (namely 512) attended for examination on
account of suspicious symptoms. Therefore, to get a reliable comparison
between the incidence rate cf Tuberculosis in contacts and non-contacts,
it would be necessary to include a comparable number of healthy noncontacts
who, of course, have no reason to attend the dispensary.
Both new cases (excluding contacts) and contacts attending for
examination again show an increase over the preceding year.
Items A and B.—The small number of cases of non-pulmonary
tuberculosis arising in 1932 was commented upon last year. During
1933 the number again remains comparably small at 31.
Item 5.—The number of attendances at the Dispensary during the
year, namely, 6,201, is the highest recorded since 1923.
Item 8.—The number of visits by the Tuberculosis Officers shows a
substantial rise.
Item 9.—The drop in the number of visits paid by the Health Visitors
is to be explained by the absence of one of the Health Visitors for several
months owing to illness.
Item 10.—The X-ray plant at the Dispensary continues to be used
for screen examinations when indicated, while the facilities for having
films taken at St. Andrew's Hospital are being increasingly made use of.
Comments on Tables II and III.
These returns continue to remain optional. During the year 39
patients have been removed from the Dispensary Register as Recovered