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36
in emergencies that may arise; also that the home will be visited.
Patients' appreciation of interest taken is evinced by letters received
from them while away.
In certain cases contributions towards the cost of treatment are
applied for, but ex-service men in receipt of pensions for tuberculosis,
and insured heads of families whose income falls below a certain
standard are exempt. In other cases, where it appears that a contribution
can be afforded, an assessment in accordance with ability to pay
is made by the Care Committee. Hardship should not occur as the
result of this; the Care Committee deal sympathetically and leniently
with all cases, and the London County Council generally accept their
recommendation, and make every allowance for hard cases. The
contributions are collected weekly by the Secretary and forwarded to
the London County Council at the end of every month.
Health reports in respect of children undergoing treatment away
are received periodically from the London County Council; on receipt
of these the Secretary visits the home and informs the parents as to
the child's condition.
An important feature of the work is "after care" of patients
returning from sanatorium; under the present existing conditions as
regards housing and unemployment it is quite the most difficult.
Every patient is visited on discharge by the Secretary, and the
problem of the future gone into. A report on the physical condition,
home surroundings and circumstances is submitted to the Care
Committee. A small proportion of cases it is found return to their
former employers, and are, if possible, given light work. The larger
number are unfortunately either unfit for work or are unable to find
suitable employment. The Care Committee does what it can, but
openings are few and far between. Many of these cases are without
means of any kind, and are at once put in touch with the Guardians,
or, if ex-service men, with the Red Cross Society or United Services'
Fund.
Many patients return to appalling surroundings, often to share
the room with the rest of the family. In some cases the room is too
small to allow of a second bed being put up, which means that parents,
one of whom may be suffering from tuberculosis, share a bed with
one or more children. Patients returning from sanatorium to such
homes cannot be expected to maintain the improvement made while
away. Until increased accommodation is available the situation cannot