View report page

114
(3) DISPENSARY TREATMENT:
With few exceptions, all tuberculous persons in receipt of
any form of treatment attend the Dispensary either regularly or
at prolonged intervals. The table showing results of Dispensary
treatment, however, applies only to those persons who attended
the Dispensary with regularity and were thus under the direct
control of the Medical Officer. Cases which received Sanatorium
or Institutional treatment are not included in the Dispensary table,
their progress being recorded in the Sanatorium and Institutional
tables respectively. Nearly all cases receiving such treatment,
however, regularly attended the Dispensary either before or after
such treatment.
The treatment given at the Dispensary comprises the provision
of malt and oil; medicines, thermometers, respirators, &c., and in
many cases additional nourishment in the form, usually, of milk
and eggs. In addition, each patient is repeatedly instructed in
the hygiene of the disease and a careful watch is kept on their
progress by frequent medical examinations, so that any signs of
relapse may be promptly dealt with. The Dispensary, in short,
endeavours to act as a centre not only for treatment of active
tuberculosis, but also for the steady supervision of quiescent and
arrested cases and for the searching out of "contacts." As far
as possible no known case of tuberculosis in the Borough for which
attention from the public authority is required is allowed to remain
without regular and systematic medical supervision and advice.