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of congenital defects in children which may be attributable to rubella, a National
Surveillance Programme over a period of ten years is being carried out under the direction of
Dr. J.A. Dudgeon of the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London. This
department has agreed to participate fully in the study so as to provide information which
may help to answer the queries regarding multiple defects in children covering a wider and
more varied spectrum.

The figures for the two years stated above are not strictly comparable as those for
1970 included children who should really have been attended to in 1969. However, the
acceptance rate on the numbers eligible shows an upward trend and may be regarded as a
satisfactory level. The skin test used is Mantoux (IOTU).
Contacts
The decrease in the numbers of contacts of cases of tuberculosis dealt with at chest
clinics has continued, but not to the same degree as noted in previous years. The positivity
rate, which is usually high in this group, has risen to 38.2% compared with 17.3% in 1970;
this rate shows considerable variation and the increase is not significant.
Number skin tested and read 102 (104)
Number found negative 63 (86)
Number prior B.C.G. vaccination 64 (86)
Number found positive 39 (18)
HOME DIALYSIS
Four applications were received during 1971 for adaptations to be carried out to
provide for the installation of artificial kidney machines in the homes of patients who had
been trained in hospital for haemodialysis at home. In all four cases the premises occupied
by the patients and their families were found to be unsuitable for various reasons and, after
consultation with all interested parties, decisions were taken which had the following
effect-
Two patients were rehoused in Council property, and in each case a suitable
room was specially adapted to enable installation of the home dialysis
equipment.
One patient was provided with a Portakabin Unit, which was suitably
adapted and erected in the garden at the rear of the house. The total cost of
the works involved and provision of the Portakabin Unit was £3,241.50.
I regret to record that one of the rehoused patients died during the year, and it was
decided to make his Council flat with the dialysis equipment available for the fourth
patient.
In addition, an application received in the previous year was still outstanding
because the applicant had purchased a house which required extensive alteration. The
adaptation for the installation of an artificial kidney machine, which proved to be only a
small part of the total work involved, was only completed by the end of 1971.