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72
cases who have been on the dispensary books since June 1921, a period
of 18 months,
60 have been discharged—(quiescent).
61 have removed.
49 have died.
The problem of the registration of Tuberculous patients is a difficult
one; it is more or less necessary to have the good will and agreement of
the patient in order to keep in touch; i.e., when a patient moves ho
should notify the Dispensary he attends in order that he may be
transferred to the Office of Health in the district to which he is moving.
Until the benefits which accrue to the patient on notification are
equal to the domestic disturbance caused, this is never likely to be carried
out thoroughly.
There is no trouble in keeping in touch with ex-service men as they
have to attend a Dispensary with some degree of regularity on account
of their pension and allowances, and would run the risk of losing these
if they did not attend.
The fact that a patient is known to be suffering with Tuberculosis
makes life more difficult for him apart from the disease itself; and the
more we advertise the infectivity of the disease the more difficult
becomes the lot of the patient.
It is the tuberculous patient who often has to sink to the worst
housing conditions, food is often inadequate and the infection of other
members of the family becomes a probability rather than a possibility.
I much regret the regulation which now prevents us from keeping
contacts under observation for prolonged periods ; for it is not a case of
whether the child has active tuberculosis or not, but rather is it likely to
become active if the child is left alone; it is obviously better to prevent
it becoming active than to treat it at considerably more expense after it
has become so.
I am convinced that during past years at the Dispensary, owing to
careful watching and treatment of children in this condition, and to the
invaluable help of the Invalid Children's Aid Association, we have
consolidated the health of many children, and I am sure the extra expense
and labour entailed has been justified. The decrease in numbers of
attendances has been mainly due to the regulations as to the time a