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referred. The majority of the children who attend Springwell
House Open Air School on Clapham Common reside in the borough
and derive much benefit from the day sanatorium regime at this
School.
The number of new patients attending the Dispensary during
the year was 15 less than in the previous year and the number of
"Contacts" examined 29 less than in 1927. 14 more adult
"Contacts" were examined and 43 less children. Fewer attendances
were made at the Dispensary by patients. The main
function of the Dispensary is to serve as a centre for diagnosis and
supervision, and treatment, apart from any specialised form, is
not undertaken unless special circumstances make this necessary.
It is desirable that as far as possible the patient should receive
treatment from his own doctor in consultation with the Tuberculosis
Officer.
During 1928, 137 patients received institutional treatment
under the London County Council's Tuberculosis Scheme. The
average length of stay was 112 days, and the average period of
waiting between recommendation and admission to an institution
was 15 days. Material improvement, as a result of institutional
treatment, was shown by 59 patients. 32 patients took their own
discharge from institutions.
During 1928, 629 new patients attended the Dispensary for
examination. In addition 18 patients were transferred from other
areas and attended the Dispensary for the first time during the
year. Of the 629 new patients 462 were adults and 167 children.
The "Contacts" examined at the Dispensary numbered 170—
89 adults and 81 children.
Of the new patients and "Contacts" 227 were found to be
suffering from Tuberculosis—213 adults and 14 children.
During the year 2 patients in whom the diagnosis was at first
doubtful were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis, and these
added to the 227 new cases made a total of 229 notified cases. Of
this number 109 had already been notified to the Medical Officer
of Health, so that 120 were primary notifications from the Dispensary.
The total number of attendances at the Dispensary during
1928 was 3,912.
During the year 181 visits were paid by the Tuberculosis
Officer to the homes of patients and 4,865 by the Dispensary
Nursing Staff.
In addition to admissions to institutions provided by the
London County Council 28 patients were admitted to St. James's
Hospital during the year. The majority of those patients were
suffering from Tuberculosis in an advanced stage and were