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The occupations of cases of tuberculosis notified during the year have been
classified under 11 headings and are shown in Table XII below with the comparable
figures for the years 1952 and 1953.

The fall in the number of deaths from tuberculosis is very gratifying indeed.
For the first time, in 3953, this number came into the single figure category,
and in 3 954 the number of deaths attributed to tuberculosis was the lowest on
record. It will be seen from Table X how sensational the fall in the number
of deaths due to tuberculosis has been over the last 20 years.
Less satisfactory is the figure for notifications, although this again
dropped considerably during .3954. This considerable fall in deaths from tuberculosis,
combined with a much smaller fall in the incidence of notification of the
disease, is to be observed all over the country, and indeed is reported from all
parts of the Commonwealth. It seems reasonable to deduce from these figures
that much earlier discovery of the disease combined with new methods of treatment,
both by surgery and by drugs, and new methods of prevention, such as vaccination
of contacts with B.C. G., are all having an effect at last on one of the greatest
plagues that still affect this country.
Facilities for diagnosis and treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, as well
as prevention and after care, are provided by the Hounslow Chest Clinic.
Examination of contacts and B. C. G. inoculation for the prevention of this
disease are handled by the Tuberculosis Health Visitors. B. C. G. inoculation is
now offered to all the Mantoux negative, i.e. susceptible, contacts of newly
discovered tuberculosis cases; 68 residing in this Borough were inoculated
during 1954.
A prominent part in treatment is played by domiciliary chemo-therapy with
the aid of the "Home Nurses" (formerly District Nurses) provided by the Middlesex
County Council.
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