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72
The Need for an After-Care Committee.
I especially wish to call your serious attention to the need for
the formation of a Committee to consider the " after-care " of
patients who have been discharged from Sanatorium or Dispensary
treatment. A great deal of the good obtained by Sanatorium
treatment is entirely lost unless the patient has work to go to on his
return to ordinary life. Again, I quote you an actual case to illustrate
the importance of this point:—
X.Y., aged 25. Onset of illness, 1910, whilst at work.
Sanatorium treatment for five months in 1911, and discharged
in September, 1911. He returned home, and apparently made no
effort to obtain work, and "loafed" till June, 1913, when he
visited a convalescent home for two months. He returned home,
and was looked up by the Dispensary Authorities in September.
He was febrile and was losing weight. Since this date he has
had a modified course of graduated exercise at home, and now, since
8th December, has been earning 27s. a week as a fitter.
Again, it is not in every case either desirable or possible for
each patient to return to precisely the same class of work on discharge
from Sanatorium as he was employed at before his term
of treatment. Though many patients derive great benefit from
Institutional treatment, yet, in the majority of the cases, they must
be classed as " Maimed " lives, and work of a lighter character
found for them. If this is not done relapse will inevitably ensue.
I would suggest that the Committee be formed of members of
the Public Health Committee, representatives of charitable organisations,
and employers of labour. The good which could be
done by such a Committee to prevent the development of the
habitual Tuberculous loafer would be inconceivable.
Dispensary Nurses.
Two Curses are employed at the Dispensary, and during the
past four months they have paid 222 primary and 886 secondary
visits to the homes of Tuberculous patients.
In addition to visiting, one Nurse is always on duty at the
Dispensary during the hours of attendance of the Medical Officer.