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37
REPORT OF THE TUBERCULOSIS OFFICER.
To the Medical Officer of Health.
Sir,
In presenting the Eight Annual Report of the Dispensary,
it is not possible, owing to the several changes in the Medical Staff,
to give a satisfactory survey of the work carried out during 1920,
especially with regard to treatment.
Shortly after taking up duty, I commenced an inquiry as to the
condition of the Borough in respect to Tuberculosis, with a view to
obtaining information which might be of use in our efforts to combat
the disease. This inquiry was not completed at the close of the
year, but it was estimated that at that date there were some 1,336
people residing in the Borough who were suffering from Tuberculosis.
Of this number 798 were suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis,
i.e., Consumption of the Lungs, and 538, chiefly children,
from other forms of Tuberculosis, such as Tuberculosis of the Glands
and Bones. In arriving at this number every case notified on the
books of the Public Health Department as suffering from Tuberculosis
since 1912 (the date when notification came into force) was
visited by the Dispensary Staff. I append a table showing the
notifications and deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis with the
incidence and death rates for each year.

From the table it will be noted that out of 2,737 cases notified
in these nine years, 1,288 (or 47 per cent.) had died by the close of
1920. Further, it was ascertained that of 798 cases still living and
residing in the Borough only 447 were fit for work varying from
heavy to light, the remaining 351 being unfit for work of any kind.
The inquiry also dealt with the hygiene and sanitation of the
patients' homes, particular regard being directed to the sleeping
arrangements of the patients. Thus it was found that in the case of
543 patients—
382 were sharing a bed.
98 had a separate bed, but no separate room.
63 had a separate bed and a separate room.