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in the home that may be beneficial, and keep the case under observation.
Every case is visited on discharge from sanatorium by the Secretary,
and a report on the home conditions and circumstances is submitted to
the Care Committee.
It may be interesting to readers to cite a few instances in which the
Care Committee has been able to help :—
1. We will take the case of a patient recommended for residential
treatment. The home was visited by the representative of the Care
Committee, who found that the patient was an ex-service man. In
course of conversation it became apparent that the man had a reasonable
chance of proving his disease to be due to army service; he actually
had to be pressed to make an application for pension, and finally did so.
He was also found to be exceedingly worried as to how his wife would
manage if he went away, doubly so because the shock of his illness and
worry over the future was affecting her health. This difficulty was
overcome by putting the patient in touch with the Red Cross Committee,
who agreed to allow the wife sufficient to maintain herself and
the home pending decision as to his claim for pension—the man was
also supplied with clothing and was able to go away with an easy mind.
In due course the Ministry of Pensions found that he was suffering
from tuberculosis in consequence of war service and awarded pension.
When this patient returned home—greatly improved in health—it was
suggested that, now he was in an independent position, he should try
and live away from London. The idea appealed to the husband and
wife, and it was not very long before information was received that
they had found rooms at the seaside and were removing. The patient
called at the dispensary before leaving to say that he felt that he must
express his gratitude to the Care Committee for their help and advice,
without which he would never have thought of claiming pension or
removing from what he now knew were unsuitable surroundings, and
that he felt his whole life had been altered for him.
2. Another patient recommended for sanatorium treatment was
paid the usual visit. He and his wife were a comparatively young
couple with no children. The little home was beautifully kept and
comfortable. As, however, the patient had been very ill, he had been
obliged to give up his work some time ago, and had been forced to use
his small savings to supplement National Health Insurance benefit,
which constituted his sole income. The savings were now coming to
an end, and the patient did not feel that he could go away and leave