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It is unfortunate that a number of the worst cases of rickets
and general debility attended infrequently or ceased attending
before any benefit could be derived from the treatment.
Chronic Rheumatic Conditions include cases mostly of rheumatoid
arthritis and osteoarthritis, together with others of fibrositis,
lumbago and sciatica. In most of these cases there has been
some alleviation of the pain, but on the whole there has been no
permanent improvement and it does not seem that much lasting
benefit can be derived from the use of ultra-violet light alone.
This is an extremely important group of diseases, causing a large
amount of crippling and loss of work, for which at present there
seems to be little remedy in an industrial population.
Of the cases of alopecia treated during the year five showed
improvement, one to a marked degree, but the majority of cases
did not respond well.
The one case of abdominal fistula did very well. An operation
for appendicectomy was performed in April 1928, and a fistula
occurred at the point where a drainage tube had been inserted.
This condition persisted till October 1928 when Ultra-violet
treatment was started. The patient attended four times a week
regularly and in one month the abdomen was quite healed. She
has kept perfectly well since that date.
The cases of malnutrition, debility, and anaemia were mostly
children of school age, some of whom responded well and picked
up in a short time. The appetite improved and general muscle
tone became better. In others, however, the progress was slow
and a few cases did not seem to respond at all. Bearing in mind
that bad housing conditions are the predisposing cause of many
of these cases, it is probable that the beneficial effects of light
treatment were being constantly undermined by the persistance
of the unfavourable home environment.
Irregularity of attendance, for no apparent reason, amongst
all classes of patients is another factor which tends to lead to
poor results or slowness in progress.