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68
The Prevention of Tuberculosis.
1. The examination of contacts from two sources.
A. Existing Dispensary patients.
B. Notified cases attended by Practitioners.
2. Visitation of patients at their own homes by the Dispensary
Nurses for the purpose of supervision of treatment and education.
Records are kept of their home conditions in the Public Health
Department.
3. The supplying of Sputum Pots and the distribution of
literature of an educative character.
The prevention of the disease—undoubtedly the most important
branch of the organisation against Consumption—is centred around
the examination of the contacts of existing cases; and, in my
opinion, if this work is to be efficient and far reaching in its
results, not only those contacts definitely found to be the subjects
of Tuberculosis must be actively healed, but the general health of
the younger members of each family must receive attention. To
my mind, it is impossible to emphasise this point too strongly. 1
cannot do better than quote the details of an actual case:—
E.C. (Infected, 56) + Husband (56, uninfected).
E.H. (35, Health poor) + A.H. (Husband, infected).
E.H. (13) F.H. (11) A.H. (5) V.H. (6 mths.)
Infected. * * *
The members of the family starred are the contacts whose
general health should receive medical care.
The above case very well explains how important a part contact
plays in the dissemination of the disease, the original
infecting case, E.C., being in a chronic and advanced stage of the
disease, whilst the remainder are at present in varying but less
advanced stages of the condition. I have ventured into an arrange-