View report page

be confined to bed or may have returned to work, and so on. A
patient who feels that a real interest is being taken in his case
will —provided his illness is not a mere passing affair—seldom
fail to respond to a reasonable request to return for further
examination. There are exceptions. In every case the value of
full co-operation with the medical man who sent the patient for
diagnosis is obvious.
The Arrangements for Securing the Examination and Systematic
Supervision of "Home Contacts."
The Dispensary Medical Officers usually urge the importance
of the examination of the "home contacts" on the appropriate
members of the patient's family. They may be able to arrange
dates. The Tuberculosis Nurses follow this up when visiting the
homes of the notified patients. An offer may be made to examine
the "home contacts" at home. Of 727 new "contacts" examined
by the Dispensary in 1925, 260 were examined at their
homes. Nearly all of these were children of or below school age
and their mothers. Adults, as a rule, are examined at the
Dispensary. An evening hour is arranged for those who are at
work.
The systematic supervision of "home contacts" of tubercle
positive lung cases who are of school age is carried out by the
School Medical Service in co-operation with the Dispensary. The
systematic supervision of "home contacts" who are over school
age is not an easy matter. Young people busy at work and feeling
well would naturally resent periodical re-examinations. We may
and do advise any who get symptoms of ill-health to return for
re-examination. Here, again, the value of full co-operation with
the panel or family doctors is obvious. 390 "home contacts"
examined prior to 1925 were re-examined during that year. These
are exclusive of the 745 new "contacts" of 1925. The examination
of "home contacts" of or below school age at home is
usually a more convenient arrangement for the parent than
bringing them to the Dispensary. It also aids the Tuberculosis
Officers in their study of home conditions.
Information as to Special Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment
in use and the Number of Persons to whom these Special Methods
have been Applied.
We have placed chief reliance on accurate history taking,
careful reading of symptoms, temperature charting and pulse
study, thorough physical examination and repeated sputum testing
in tubercle negative cases. When the above methods are not
neglected in the diagnosis of a case the use of the X-rays is of the
highest value. Arrangements exist with King's College Hospital
for the X-ray examination of Dispensary patients. During 1925