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111
As far as possible patients are interviewed before their admission
to Hospital or Sanatorium and in this way timely advice can
be given on such questions as rental and insurance. The shock of
the diagnosis may to a certain extent be alleviated by the knowledge
that thought is being given to the welfare of those left at
home and that the patient does not stand alone in his troubles.
Much can be done in this way to reassure the patient himself and
to save the family from serious financial difficulty.
One of the main problems of the tubercular patient is that of
employment on his discharge from Sanatorium. Owing to the
length of the treatment it is not often that jobs can be kept open,
and the nature of his illness makes it especially hard for him to
find work even when fit for this. The discouragement of prolonged
unemployment will in time affect his condition as much as the
resulting straightened circumstances. Suitable occupation for the
patient who is capable of light work only is extremely hard to find
at a time when fit men cannot get work. Such cases present a
very real problem to the After Care Committee and it is perhaps
here that advice and assistance are most valuable.
The Committee is indebted to the Officers' Association, the
British Bed Cross Society, the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, the
Mayor's Peace Memorial Fund and the British Legion for help
given to tubercular ex-service men and their families. Whenever
possible patients are referred to suitable agencies when assistance
is required outside the scope of the After Care Committee funds.
CHEAM SANATORIUM.
The Sanatorium is situated in North Cheam and has accommodation
for 93 adult patients of both sexes. The beds are allocated
as follows: Men, 53; Women, 40.