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The following Table shows the present condition of patients
who have had artificial pneumothorax treatment. The small
figures in brackets indicate the number of patients (in each
group) in whom the disease was already bilateral when the treatment
was started.
Results in such cases are not expected to be as good as in
those patients with early unilateral disease.
Treatment
begun Arrested Quiescent Stationary Dead
1923 1 — — —
1928 1 — — —
1929 3 — — 2 (2)
1930 8 2 2 3 (2)
1931 4 12 10 (4) —
(The cases started during 1932 are not shown in this table.)
The total numbers are too small, and sufficient time has not
yet elapsed to enable a comparison to be drawn between this and
other forms of treatment. The results so far achieved, however,
are encouraging, and the benefits of the treatment in early cases
of pulmonary tuberculosis in an industrial district are undoubted.
It is of interest to note that in ten of the arrested and quiescent
cases shown above, the treatment was started in St. Olave's
Hospital, where a close association and co-operation has been
maintained between the Tuberculosis Officers and the Medical
Officers of the Hospital.
NURSING AND EXTRA NOURISHMENT.
The Nursing Associations have been of the very greatest
assistance to us during the year and their work has been of value
in two ways. In quite a number of cases a daily record of temperature
(morning and evening) is of assistance in diagnosis, and the
Tuberculosis Officer often makes use of the services of the district
nurse for this purpose. In other cases where the patient is
bedridden, the nurse can do much to alleviate suffering and to see
that the patient carries out instructions so that the risk of infection
for other members of the household is lessened.