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APPENDIX.
Bethnal Green Tuberculosis Dispensary.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1923.
By H. Tylford Howell, M.K.C.S., Eng., L.R.C.P., Loud.,
Clinical Tuberculosis Officer.
During the past year there has been no radical change in the conduct of
the work of this Dispensary. The space allotted at the Hospital to our
department has remained unaltered and has once more proved quite satisfactory.
Office accommodation is adequate, patients' waiting-rooms are satisfactory,
while the consulting-rooms are in every way excellent. The fact that
two dressing-rooms are attached to each consulting-room not only adds considerably
to the comfort of the patients, but it also enables the Medical Officers
to get through their work more rapidly—a factor of great importance on busy
days. It also enables men and women to be seen in their turn as they arrive,
and does not necessitate the setting apart of special times for the attendance
of the different sexes. I have always held the view that as frequent re-examination
of patients as possible is one of the most important aspects of our
work, and without the generous amount of accommodation available this would
have to be considerably cut down. Another very great advantage on which I
have laid stress is the possibility of consultations between the two Medical
Officers, for which there is always a spare room available. Every new case
is seen separately by myself and my colleague, and afterwards a discussion
on its special features takes place—a procedure that is also adopted at subsequent
re-examinations if a definite diagnosis has not been made, or if any
special symptoms, signs, or complications should arise. By this means both
Medical Officers are personally acquainted with practically every one who
attends the department, and it is possible, if occasion should arise, for one
of us to take over entire clinical charge without the patients suffering in any
way.
The hours of session have remained the same as in the previous year. In
1922 an alteration was made, the time of the evening session on Wednesday
being changed from 7.30 to 5.30 p.m., which as events have proved has been