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A detailed report of the Solarium was given in last year's
Annual Report, and the above figures shew that the work has
materially increased. Practically all the patients are recom
mended for treatment by general practitioners or by the doctors
from the various Maternity and Child Welfare Centres or from
the Tuberculosis Dispensary or Hospitals. Three examination
sessions are done every week, i.e., Dr. Connan on Tuesday morning,
Dr. Toussaint on Thursday afternoon and Dr. Cairney on
Friday morning. Dr. Plimsoll does one session a month on
Monday mornings.
Under the heading of Maternity and Child Welfare patients,
are included children under five years of age. Most of these are
sent up as cases of rickets or malnutrition. On the whole they
do well and shew fairly rapid improvement. It is very often
difficult to secure the regular attendance of these children, largely
because the mothers find it impossible to bring them up owing
to pressure of home duties, but it can be said with a fair amount
of confidence that this class of patient does very well if the attendance
is regular.
Under this heading is included also a small number —10—
antenatal cases. These cases have done remarkably well. Their
general health has improved, they are generally more fit and do
not suffer from depression, and they have all had good confinements.
The majority of these have returned after confinement
for further treatment. We would like to increase the number of
these patients very much and hope that as the value of such
treatment becomes more generally known, more will attend.
The number of tuberculous cases treated is 107, all of whom
are notified cases, and all of whom have been sent from the Dispensary.
Of this number, 18 were cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.
None of these patients have so far been prejudicially affected
by the treatment, and in one or two cases the results have been
gratifying. On the whole there is little doubt about the value of
light treatment in surgical tuberculosis if given cautiously over a
considerable period. With regard to pulmonary tuberculosis
more experience is required before any definite pronouncement
can be made.