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32
Tuberculosis Officer. When a case is simply referred to the Dispensary
and the child's condition remains unsatisfactory though not
definitely tubercular, after a period of observation of one or two months,
Form M.O.T.T. is sent with short notes if observation at school is
desirable, and recommendations made re malt and oil or milk at school
and sending child to Dispensary at a later date, or the child may be
recommended for open air school or to one of the charitable organisations
for convalescent treatment.
An endeavour is being made to facilitate the work of the Care
Committee by securing more voluntary workers, thus leaving the
Secretary more at liberty for that part of the work requiring her special
experience. Many cases needing help remain unaided as there is no
fund to draw upon. As regards obtaining employment for cases fit for
light work, a special committee of the Labour Exchange was formed
and several cases were referred to it, but results in the present unemployment
crisis have been disappointing.
As regards advanced cases the institutional accommodation for
these remains very deficient, but it is hoped that this will shortly be
overcome by the London County Council providing a hospital for such
in South London.
There has been a further increase in the number of specimens of
Sputum examined at the Dispensary, both for Dispensary cases and
general practitioners, viz., 859 as compared with 578 in 1920.
The preparation of these specimens is carried out by the Dispenser,
and with the increased clerical duties has added considerably to her
work. Details were given in the last two Annual Reports regarding
the sleeping accommodation of 600 patients, showing that about onethird
of the number only have separate bedrooms. Of the other
two-thirds, not only were there one or two others in the rooms, but
very few of the patients had separate beds.
Such conditions brought about by the shortage or proper housing
accommodation tends to nullify the benefit of treatment and attempts
at prevention.
Death—Notification Interval. An examination of deaths belonging
to the Borough attributed to tuberculosis in the death returns reveals
the following information :—