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The duties of the Committee were defined to include enquiries as to the
economic position of the family of a patient suffering from tuberculosis as soon as
the patient comes within the purview of the Tuberculosis Dispensary Scheme
with a view to rendering such advice and assistance as the circumstances of the
case dictate; assistance in the provision, where necessary, of clothing as required
by the institution to which the patient is sent, and any arrangements for the
family to be properly looked after during the absence of father or mother; the
securing of auxiliaries for domiciliary treatment which cannot be provided without
charitable assistance; recommendations to the London County Council as to the
amount of payment, if any, to be made towards institutional treatment and the
collection of agreed amounts; advising the Borough Council whether the patients
recommended for extra nourishment are in a position to pay for the same and, if
not, the extent to which assistance should be given; advising the Borough
Council as to the contributions, if any, to be made by patients in respect to the
provision of dentures under any arrangement made by the Council for dental
treatment.
The Annual Report of the Committee is as follows:—
The Committee has met 11 times during the year.
Sixty-one cases have been considered—37 new and 24 old cases.
Thirty-nine cases—35 adults and 4 children—were referred by the L.C.C.
for assessment. Of these, 14 were granted free treatment, and 25 were
assessed to pay contributions, varying from 2s. 6d. to 15s. per week, towards
the cost of treatment and maintenance.
Contributions towards the cost of treatment and maintennnce, amounting
to £81 1s. 6d., were collected on behalf of the L.C.C. in 21 cases—15 adults
and 6 children. Eight of these were still under treatment at the close of the
year.
Fifteen Quarterly Progress Reports on 7 children were received from the
L.C.C., and the information contained therein was conveyed to the parents.
One case was transferred to another Borough.
On May 8th a Conference was held at County Hall, between the Public
Health Committee of the L.C.C. and Representatives of the Metropolitan
Borough Tuberculosis Care Committees. Holborn was represented by the
Medical Officer of Health, the Tuberculosis Officer, and the Chairman and the
Hon. Secretary of the Care Committee. A full report of the Conference was
published by the L.C.C., and copies of it were sent to each Borough Council
and Care Committee.
On October 7th a meeting was held at the Town Hall to consider the urgent
need for the provision of adequate subsidised workshops for tuberculous men
and women. As an outcome of this meeting the following Resolutions were
passed at the next meeting of the Care Committee:—
(1) That the Ministry of Health and the London County Council be
informed that the Holborn Tuberculosis Care Committee desires to support
the institution of workshops for tuberculous men and women, carried on
under a Committee of Management on which the Local Public Health
and Tuberculosis Care Committees are represented.