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73
Tuberculosis Dental Clinic.
Dental facilities for tuberculous patients were first provided by
the Council in 1922. A weekly session is held at the Dental centre,
Southlands, and patients requiring treatment or the provision of
dentures are referred to the clinic by the Tuberculosis Medical
Officers. The number of sessions held during 1937 was 50, and 316
attendances were made, the average attendance per session being
6-3. The work carried out included :—Extractions, 112; scalings,
16; fillings, 62; dentures supplied—whole sets 7, partial sets 4;
repairs to dentures, 2; dressings, 36; advice, 51 (average per
session, 5.8); total, 290. The net cost to the Council during
the financial year 1937-38 for this service was £90 3s. 2d.
X-ray Examinations.
Since October, 1936, the Council has made use (at scale charges)
of the X-ray apparatus at St. James's hospital for the examination
of tuberculous patients, and during 1937 the Tuberculosis Officer
carried out 779 X-ray examinations and screenings at that hospital.
Two afternoon sessions and one in the evening are held weekly
at St. James's Hospital for this purpose.
In September the London County Council informed the Council
that they had decided to raise no objection to the installation of
X-ray apparatus in the borough dispensaries, if the Councils so
desired, and to allow expenditure in connection therewith to rank
for grant, it being understood that the apparatus would be for
routine examination and straightforward cases, and that arrangements
should be maintained with approved hospitals for the
examination of doubtful or difficult cases.
Artificial Pneumo-thorax Treatment.
The County Council also permit artificial pneumo-thorax
treatment to be given by the Tuberculosis Officers (without charge)
at St. James's Hospital.
During 1937, the Tuberculosis Officer attended at that hospital
and himself carried out the artificial pneumo-thorax treatment
for which patients had previously to visit various institutions.
Only patients who had not previously received this form of treatment,
however, were sent to St. James's Hospital, the others
continuing to visit the hospital they were already attending.
In all 55 patients were treated during the year (as compared
with 48 in 1936) and the refills given numbered 768, the numbers
at each of the hospitals being as under:—
Brompton Hospital 335 Grove Park Hospital (L.C.C.) 13
St. Thomas's Hospital 59 St. James's Hospital 346
Colindale Hospital (L.C.C.) 15