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28
TUBERCULOSIS.
The number of cases of tuberculosis notified for the first time
during the year was 223—197 pulmonary and 26 non-pulmonary, as
compared with 213 pulmonary and 34 non-pulmonary cases notified
during the year 1939. The deaths from this disease totalled 125—
117 pulmonary and 8 non-pulmonary. The attack rate was 1.32
and the death-rate 0.74 per 1,000 of the population.
New patients attending at the two Tuberculosis Dispensaries
numbered 835, of which number 211 were found to be suffering from
pulmonary tuberculosis and 31 from non-pulmonary tuberculosis. In
addition, 151 contacts of notified cases were examined and 4 were
found to be suffering from tuberculosis.
Ninety-two patients received a total of 1,078 artificial pneumothorax
refills at an expense to the Council of £444 13s. 6d. Four
patients received Finsen and are light treatment for lupus, the cost
to the Council of the 249 treatments being £19 13s.
Beds and bedding were loaned to 21 patients during the year.
The loan of garden shelters to four patients was continued.
Four patients were supplied with dentures at a cost to the
Council of £8 12s. 8d., and 114 patients were granted extra
nourishment.
DISINFECTION AND DISINFESTATION.
The following is a summary of the work carried out by the
disinfection staff during the year:—
(a) after the occurrence of infectious and contagious diseases :
Number of rooms disinfected 1,971
Number of articles of bedding and clothing
disinfected or destroyed 28,031
Number of Public Library and other books
disinfected 422
Number of persons accommodated in the
isolation shelters —
(b) for the destruction of vermin:
Number of rooms fumigated 853
Number of beds, mattresses, etc., cleansed
or destroyed 20,056
In addition, 139 van-loads of furniture belonging to 257
families have been treated in the cyanide gas chambers at the
Disinfecting Station. Much of this work was done at the request
of the Housing Department in order to prevent the importation of
vermin into the Council's dwellings.