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29
Although there were only 11 more new cases examined, there was a striking
increase in the number of those who were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis.
40 more such cases were discovered. Of these 40 cases, 20 were men,
13 were boys, 2 were women and 5 were girls. The biggest proportion of this
increase was therefore in the male sex.
It is very pleasing to note that the general practitioners are using the
Tuberculosis Dispensaries more. They asked for the opinion of the Tuberculosis
Officers in 105 more cases.
This is a very good sign, because no Tuberculosis Scheme can be a complete
success without this active co-operation between the general practitioners
and the Tuberculosis Officers. It is possible that the increase in the number of
new cases found to be tuberculosis is due partly to this increased co-operation.
The number of X-ray examinations has gone up by 62 and this points to
the fact that the new arrangement with the Mile End Hospital is proving
satisfactory
The Tuberculosis After-Care Committee of the Borough is comprised of After-Care.
three sub-committees for convenience and working in this scattered district.
One serves the area attached to Stepney Green Dispensary, one of the St.
George's Dispensary, and the other of the Whitechapel Dispensary. 30 meetings
were held—27 of these being sub-committees.
During the year the Committee considered 445 special cases. Of these,
360 were in connection with assessment for contributions towards sanatorium
treatment, and 85 were necessitous cases needing various kinds of assistance.
In most of these cases help was procured through the co-operation of the
various voluntary charitable organisations.
The Invalid Kitchens allowed nourishments and dinners in several cases
where the patients' means were not sufficient to allow of their having enough
good food. The Red Cross Society and the United Services Fund have
assisted many of the ex-soldiers.
The Charity Organisation Society have given help with dentures, and paid
the fare for a man who was out of work to visit his wife in sanatorium. They
also gave clothing to this patient. They supplied spectacles to another man
who was doing a little work, but had no margin of funds for any extras.
The Friends of the Poor gave the money for a patient to redeem the suit of
clothes he had pawned before he went to sanatorium, and they gave 10/- for
the purchase of a second-hand perambulator for a woman patient who had to
carry her baby in her arms whenever she went out, as she could not afford to
buy a perambulator for him.
The Jewish Board of Guardians have helped nearly fifty of our Jewish
patients during the year. They rarely refuse any reasonable application for
help which the After-Care Committee makes to them. They have started
suitable patients with loans for trading, and helped one man to buy a grocery
business on his return from sanatorium. They have given clothes, blankets,
and allowances for nourishments in many cases.