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55
The Tuberculosis Care Committee, the composition of which
will be found on p. 2, met weekly at the Tuberculosis Dispensary
during the year, and details of the work of the Committee will be
found set out on p. 57.
Dental facilities for tuberculosis patients were provided by
the Council in 1922. A weekly session is held at the Dental Centre,
Plough Road, and patients requiring treatment or the provision of
dentures are referred to the Clinic by the Tuberculosis Medical
Officer.
Institutional treatment is provided by the London County
Council for Battersea patients; this form of treatment being
arranged for in the majority of cases through the Tuberculosis
Dispensary.
Dr. Macdonald, Tuberculosis Medical Officer, reports : —
During 1926, 660 new patients attended the Dispensary for
examination. In addition 11 patients were transferred from other
areas and attended the Dispensary for the first time during the
year. Of the 660 patients 427 were adults and 233 were children.
The "Contacts" examined at the Dispensary numbered 212,
84 adults and 128 children.
Of the new patients and " Contacts " 209 were found to be
suffering from Tuberculosis, 165 adults and 44 children.
During the year 7 patients in whom the diagnosis was at first
doubtful were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis, and these
added to the 209 new cases made a total of 216 notified cases. Of
this number 100 had already been notified to the Medical Officer of
Health, so that 116 were primary notifications from the Dispensary.
The total number of attendances at the Dispensary during 1926
numbered 4,686.
During the year 180 visits were paid to the homes of patients
by the Tuberculosis Officer and 5,294 by the Dispensary Nursing
Staff.
During 1926, 131 patients received institutional treatment
under the London County Council's Tuberculosis Scheme. The
average stay of patients in institutions was 104 days, and the average
period of waiting between recommendation and admission was 19
days. Of the number admitted 53 had definitely improved as a
result of institutional treatment —31 patients discharged themselves.
In addition to admissions to institutions provided by the
London County Council 46 patients were admitted to St. James'
Hospital.