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have been in operation, 25 cases of notified pulmonary tuberculosis have
received institutional treatment in open-air sanatoria as patients of the
Insurance Committee of the County of London. The average duration of
stay of these 25 persons in the sanatoria has been 2½ months. Three of
the patients died whilst undergoing treatment in sanatoria. Ten of the
cases have been treated at the Downs Sanatorium, 5 at Winchmore Hill,
2 at Frimley, 2 at Hawthorndene, and one each at various other sanatoria.
Six patients are still undergoing treatment. Eight notified cases have had
hospital treatment, the average duration of stay in hospital being 2 months;
and 6 cases have had both sanatorium and hospital treatment. A good
deal of work and correspondence has been carried on in the Public Health
Department in respect of advising and putting the patients in the way of
obtaining sanatorium benefit, corresponding with panel doctors and the
Insurance Committee, and obtaining grants for extra nourishment for
cases in which such was advised as being ancillary to medical treatment.
No portable open-air shelters or tents have been as yet provided by the
Council for the use of phthisis patients in the Borough.
The number of new cases of phthisis visited in the course of the
year was 112, and of non-pulmonary tuberculosis 44. The total number
of visits paid in respect of pulmonary and non-pulmonary tuberculosis
was 815.
Eight patients were sent to sanatoria by the Invalid Children's Aid
Association, one by the Charity Organisation Society, and two by private
individuals. Twenty patients were sent to convalescent homes by private
individuals. Eight out-patient and four in-patient letters were given to
patients for the Brompton Hospital, and five in-patient letters for the
Victoria Hospital for Children. Nineteen pocket spittoons were given to
persons requiring them. Four iron truckle bedsteads with hair mattresses
and bolsters have been obtained by the Borough Council, and have been
lent to necessitous cases of phthisis, where the patient was not sleeping
alone and could not afford the expense of an additional bed.
Five tubercular children were reported by the School Medical Officer
of the County of London, and were referred to the Invalid Children's Aid
Association, who arranged for the appropriate treatment in each case.
Two tubercular children were reported by Poor Law Medical Officers.
Three " contacts " were sent to the Brompton Hospital for examination,
and two of them were found to be suffering from tuberculosis.
Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
The majority of cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis notified were
children. Of 38 cases about which fairly full information was obtained as
the results of home visits, 18 were cases of tuberculosis of the cervical
glands, 5 were generalised tuberculosis, 4 were spinal cases, 3 ankle or
knee cases, 3 hip cases, 2 abdominal gland cases and 2 bronchial gland
cases, and there was one case of lupus.
Sixteen of these cases were helped by the Invalid Children's Aid
Association to obtain proper surgical treatment in hospitals; and the
majority were sent by the Association during convalescence to country or