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72
Arrangements for Finding Employment.
The difficulties of a Care Committee in securing work for persons whose physical capacity is
limited will be readily appreciated, but every effort is made in this matter.
It is an instruction of the Ministry of Labour to Employment Bureaux that tuberculous persons
shall be given every consideration in their efforts to regain their social independence. With a view
to seeing what could be done, the Manager of the local Employment Bureau has attended, by
invitation, a meeting of the Tuberculosis Care Committee for the purpose of discussing plans for
securing closer co-operation between these bodies.
In some instances the intervention of the Tuberculosis Care Committee has resulted in employers
holding open the positions of men about to undergo sanatorium treatment.
Provision of Shelters at the Homes of Patients.
Shelters are of real value where there is room for them. In many parts of the country it is
possible to erect wooden shelters in the gardens of houses and thus patients are enabled to live
under conditions similar to those obtaining in sanatoria ; but in Kensington, conditions are not
generally favourable to the use of shelters. In many cases the yard area is not sufficiently large to
enable a shelter to be erected, but even when the yard at the rear of the house is large enough other
difficulties may arise. It must be remembered that the majority of the cases of tuberculosis in
Kensington occur in houses which are occupied by more than one family and it is hardly necessary
to explain that a good deal of trouble would arise if one family desired to take exclusive possession
of the back yard for the purpose of installing a shelter.
The Council are prepared to loan shelters and they keep several in readiness at their Wood
Lane Depot but, at the present time, only one is in use.
Provision of Bedding for Home Isolation.
It is sometimes found that isolation of the patient in the home is not as satisfactory as it could
be, owing to the inability of the family to provide a bed and sufficient bedclothes to allow him to
sleep alone. In such cases the Council loan beds, bedclothes, etc., if, after enquiry, the circumstances
are suitable.

Disinfection after Death or Removal to Hospital.
In all cases after death from tuberculosis the Council offer disinfection. This offer is also extended
when patients enter hospitals or sanatoria and when they change their residence.
Disinfection is also carried out upon reauest bv the Tuberculosis Officer or Drivate practitioner.

Bacteriological Examinations.
Specimens of Sputum submitted by Medical Practitioners for bacteriological
examination at the Lister Institute at the expense of the Council 233
Specimens examined by the Tuberculosis Officer :—
In respect of Dispensary patients 467
Sent up by Medical Practitioners 44
Sputum Flasks.
These are supplied to patients who are infectious, and advice is given in regard to the disposal
of sputum.