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Tuberculosis

In addition, notifications in respect of 33 cases transferred
into the District were received, of which no less than 25 were
new arrivals on the L.C.C. estates (i.e. Debden 13, Hainault 12).
The statutory obligation of the M.O.H. to keep a Register of
Tuberculosis cases ceased in 1952, since when greater reliance
has been placed by the Ministry of Health on the Registers and
returns of Chest Clinics. The latter do not, however, give an
accurate picture of the local situation, as many local residents
travel some distance from their homes for treatment at clinics
in other areas— either because they used to reside elsewhere, or
work elsewhere, or for private reasons. I have therefore attempted
to maintain our own register by regular follow-up and
checking at clinics and hospitals as far as possible, and although
I cannot guarantee its accuracy it contains the names and
number of persons who are believed to be living in the district
and receiving treatment or supervision for tuberculosis at some
hospital or clinic. It must be clearly pointed out, of course, that
by no means all of these persons are a source of possible infection
to others: some are isolated in bed or hospital; most are
infective only occasionally or intermittently, and have been
thoroughly instructed on the measures they should adopt to
limit the risk of spread.
Nevertheless, the problem is a serious one and particularly
so by reason of the undoubted existence of persons capable of
spreading the infection who are not under supervision or treatment—the
so-called "unknown infector pool" of undiscovered
cases and defaulters
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