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103
The Tuberculosis Officer paid 47 visits to Mayday Hospital,
in a consultative capacity, and there examined 145 patients.
Although considerable advances have been made, more particularly
in the surgical treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis,
during the past ten years, a comparison of the death rate of pa-tients
undergoing treatment now and ten years ago does not show any
great advantage. Surgical methods undoubtedly help a certain
proportion of cases to recover sufficiently to leave Sanatoria and
possibly to commence work ; but the selection of cases likely to
befit permanently is a matter of high skill and experience.
Unwise choice of patients for surgical treatment may hasten the
onset of a fatal issue.
The long period of unproductiveness of the Tuberculosis patient
undergoing treatment and, in the majority of cases, his impaired
market value, even at the end of successful treatment, cast a great
strain on his financial resources. This has been inadequately
recognised in the various National Health Insurance Acts and
Regulations, which are too inflexible to meet the full needs of
these unfortunate people.
The Tuberculosis Clinic and Home Visiting.
The subjoined table gives a summary of the work done in
connection with the Clinic.
472 new cases were examined during the year; this is equal
to 276 for each 100 deaths from the disease. 206, or 120 for each
100 deaths, were found to be definitely Tuberculous.
The contacts of definite cases are urged to attend the Clinic
for examination (and subsequent supervision). This is an
important preventive measure. During the year 343 contacts were
examined, equal to 200 for each 100 deaths, compared with 323
in 1934, or '205 per 100 deaths. Of these, 8 were considered to be
Tuberculous. This is equal to a Tuberculosis rate per 1,000 contacts
of 23.3, compared with 1.38 per 1,000 of the general population.
In 192 adult contacts examined the Tuberculosis rate per
1000 contacts was 36.4. Included in the 8 contacts found to be
Tuberculous are 4 who had been under observation from previous
years.
The total number of attendances at the Clinic was 5,026. The
Tuberculosis Officer paid 195 home visits, and the District Health