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65
reasons, tuberculosis officers may have hitherto felt unwilling
to take the responsibility of discharging. The
chief result of the introduction of the new system will
be that in future it will be possible for the staff to
concentrate attention more especially on those cases
that require rigorous supervision, and whose families
are particularly liable to exposure to infection.
Having regard to the preceding considerations
one may proceed to a comparison of the figures of
1926 with those of the previous year.
The number of new cases attending the Dispensary
was 591, as compared with 666 in 1925, whilst the
number notified from the Dispensary was 236, as
against 206. The total number of old and new cases
notified was 275, compared with 241 in the preceding
year.
One thousand, four hundred and sixty-five patients
attended in 1926, and 1,511 in 1925. Once again the
number of attendances showed a decline, on this
occasion from 5,361 to 4,617, the decrease being due
to further efforts to discharge non-tubercular and
cured cases at the earliest possible date in order to
comply with instructions received from the Ministry
of Health. In spite of the diminution in the number
of attendances, the number of physical examinations
rose from 3,117 in 1925 to 3,412 in 1926.
Three hundred and twenty-four reports were sent
to doctors in 1926 and 388 in 1925. It must be understood
that numerous communications with doctors,
personally, by telephone, and otherwise are carried
out concerning patients, and that they do not figure
in the above which refers only to letters giving full
details of clinical findings on cases sent up for an
opinion.
During 1926 the nurses' visits totalled 5,355, a
decrease of 66, while those of the tuberculosis officers
fell to 481, the drop in each case being due to temporary
depletion of staff.