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33
Dealing now with the Dispensary itself, 842 new patients were
examined during the year. The sources from which these patients
came are as follows:—
Doctors 184
Hospitals 20
School Medical Service 22
Ministry of Pensions 8
Own Application 100
Nurses (Contacts) 508
Contacts : Arrangements were made during the year by the
County Council for further co-operation between the Dispensary
and the School Medical Service so as to insure that no contact of
school age will remain unexamined. If for any reason examination
cannot be carried out at the Dispensary, the School Medical
Officers are notified and the child examined at School. Much
of the nurses' time is spent endeavouring to secure the examination
of every contact. This year, out of a total of 862 Contacts 683 or
79 per cent, were examined of whom 62 or 9 per cent. were found
to be Tuberculous. In addition 109 contacts were examined more
than once before arriving at a definite diagnosis.
The work of the Dispensary is shown in the statistical table
appended and explains itself.
Duration of Illness : Taking 87 deaths in 1923 from
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (50 men, 33 women, 4 children) whose
histories were recorded at the Dispensary the average duration of
illness for both sexes worked out at 38 months as against 31.6 months
last year, the difference between the males and the females being
2.4 months against 1.8 months in the preceding year. In the
Children the average duration was 6.2 months against 7.2 in 1922.
Family History. In connection with the 87 deaths alluded
to in the previous paragraph, there was a history of Tuberculosis
amongst the near relatives (father, mother, brothers, sisters,) in 21
instances, and amongst remote relatives (uncles, aunts, etc.,) in 7.
Sanatorium Treatment. During the year 143 patients were
sent to sanatoria, 83 under the County Scheme, 45 through the
Guardians and 15 through other sources. In addition 35 children
are attending the Open Air Schools at Shooters Hill. The
average duration of residence remains the same, and the same
difficulties remain in finding suitable employment for those discharged
fit for work.