View report page

24
Form A—First Notifications by M.O., C.W.I. 226
Re-notifications 56
Notifications by M.O.'s, outside Infirmaries 4
Form B—Notifications by District M.O.'s 73
Form C—Notifications by Master, C.W. 70
Notifications by Masters, outside Workhouses 13
442
In addition 26 notifications have been received during the year from
the Brompton Hospital.
The number of males notified was 191, of females 81—total 272 ; 195
patients were notified once only, 51 were notified twice, 16 thrice, 6 four
times, 3 five times, and 1 case was notified altogether seven times in the
year. In 12 cases patients changed their address during the year, and in
8 cases the address was changed twice in the year.
The total number of patients visited during the year was 124—the
males from Common Lodging Houses and Casual Wards, who go in and
out of the Chelsea Infirmary, not being visited as a rule. The remainder
—the difference between the number notified and the number visited—
are patients received into the Infirmary from the Workhouse, and
re-transferred on leaving the Infirmary. The number of Common
Lodging House cases was 44. The number of visits paid by the Lady
Sanitary Inspector, including revisits, was 242.
Fifty-one deaths from phthisis occurred in the Chelsea Workhouse
Infirmary, and 9 at the patients own home—total 60, so that some 22 per
cent, of the notified cases have died in the course of the year. Five cases
have removed from the Borough, 2 have been sent to Convalescent
Homes, hospital letters have been given to 10 cases, and pocket spittoons
to 30. Disinfectants and soap are given where required, and the leaflet of
advice is given in all cases.
With regard to the work of visiting phthisical cases at their homes,
the Lady Sanitary Inspector reports that the work is beset with certain
difficulties, of which the most important are:—1. The great poverty of
the majority of the cases, which renders them unable to provide sufficient
food, clothing, or the firing which is needed to maintain a healthy existence.
In many cases, even, separate sleeping accommodation for the patient
cannot be provided. 2. The necessity for continuous medical treatment
after leaving the Chelsea Infirmary with a view to arrest of the disease.
The present arrangements for Poor Law medical attendance on phthisical
cases discharged from the Infirmary are very inadequate from the point of
view of "following up" such cases with medical care and supervision, so
that the benefits derived from Infirmary treatment may not be lost.
Under the existing system the patient derives undoubted benefit by the
rest and medical treatment in the Infirmary, but on return home the
patient is very apt to lose ground, and the expenditure involved in the
course of Infirmary treatment is to a great extent thrown away by the
absence of any system of after-care and supervision. The same remarks
apply very much to hospital treatment, except that in these cases the
discharged patient can usually attend the hospital as an out-patient. This
is not, however, as valuable to the patient as home visits and advice.
Some of the Poor Law cases, on discharge from the Infirmary, have been