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69
The Tuberculosis Officer continues to act as honorary Tuberculosis
Consultant to St. James's Hospital, and visits the hospital
every week. Patients are found to be readier to enter hospital when
they know this arrangement exists. In addition to the patients in
the tuberculosis wards many special cases are seen in other wards
at the request of the Medical Superintendent.
In November, the London County Council announced that
owing to the great pressure on the accommodation available in
St. James's Hospital it would be necessary to transfer the tuberculosis
wards from that hospital to St. John's. The change had
not however become effective in the early months of 1938.
The Tuberculosis Medical Officer and one of the tuberculosis
nurses are employed part-time in the medical inspection of children
attending Springwell House Open Air School, Clapham Common
North Side. Children exposed to infection in their homes are now
eligible for admission to the school, in addition to notified cases.
The contribution made by the London County Council towards
the cost of the dispensary treatment of tuberculosis is revised
triennially, and for the three financial years 1936 to 1939 is £1,084
per annum.
The investigations of a scholar appointed by the Royal College
of Physicians into the early stages of tuberculosis (referred to in
the annual report for 1935) were continued at the Dispensary during
the year.
Patients and Attendances.
In 1937 863 additional names were recorded at the dispensary,
5 more than in 1936. These related to 573 persons who had been
referred by medical practitioners, otherwise presented themselves
for examination, or were receiving treatment under the London
County Council's tuberculosis scheme; 268 who had been in contact
with cases of tuberculosis; and 22 already notified in other districts
who had come to reside in Battersea.
Of these 863 cases 673 were discharged as non-tuberculous
(including 265 of the contacts), 175 were found to be suffering from
the disease, and 15 (including 1 contact) were kept under observation
for diagnosis.
Particulars of the 175 positive cases are given under the next
heading, and also in form T.145 on page 135.
Old patients to the number of 525 also attended during the
year, and the total number of attendances at the Dispensary in 1937
was 4,837 (of which 3,974 were of old patients), as compared with
4.024 in 1936.