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Medical Consultations and X-Ray Diagnosis.
The arrangements approved by the Ministry of Health and the County Council under which
the Tuberculosis Officer can consult Visiting Specialists at the St. Mary Abbot's Hospital and send
Dispensary patients to that institution for the purpose of X-ray diagnosis have remained in operation
throughout the year.
Light Treatment.
The Public Health Committee of the Council have given close consideration during the year to
the question of the provision of artificial light treatment at or in connection with the Tuberculosis
Dispensary. Negotiations have been entered into with the Victoria Hospital for Children, Tite
Street, Chelsea, for the treatment of suitable patients residing in the southern portion of the
Borough, and with the Kensington Branch of the British Red Cross Society for the treatment of
patients from any part of the Borough. At the end of the period under review these negotiation0s
had not been completed and the work of treating patients by this means had not started.
The Council have continued to accept financial responsibility for "Finsen light" treatment
applied to suitable cases of lupus and surgical tuberculosis at the London Hospital. The usual
charge for this treatment is 5s. per exposure. The number of cases treated during the year under
review was three at a total cost to the Council of £25. One of these patients is still undergoing
treatment.
Cc-operation with Medical Practitioners and other Bodies and Institutions.
The Tuberculosis Dispensary is used fairly extensively as a consultation and treatment centre
by School Medical Inspectors and the Medical Officers of School Treatment Centres. Reports are
sent by the Tuberculosis Officer to the Divisional Medical Officer of the London County Council in
regard to all school children who are contacts of notified respiratory cases, whether attending the
Dispensary or not, thus enabling the School Medical Inspectors to keep under observation those
children who, although found to be unaffected by tuberculosis at the time of the primary examination,"
are exposed to infection in their homes. Those children who are found to be suffering from or are
suspected of having contracted the disease continue to attend the Tuberculosis Dispensary for further
observation and treatment.
An all important factor in the treatment of tuberculosis is early diagnosis and with this in
mind every endeavour has been made during the past few years to encourage medical practitioners
to avail themselves of the services of the Tuberculosis Officer in a consultative capacity. The
number of reports upon patients sent to medical practitioners has increased year by year. There
were 205 cases referred to the Dispensary by private practitioners during 1926 as compared with 104
in 1924 and 172 in 1925. These figures pay testimony to the growth of the favour in which the
Tuberculosis Dispensary is held by the local medical men.

Housing conditions form an important element in regard to tuberculosis, and home visits are
valuable in this connection. The sleeping arrangements are frequently unsatisfactory and the
Women Health Officers always enquire into them. Wherever possible, desirable alterations are
pointed out and urged upon the family.