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APPENDIX II.
TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1934.
By H. Tylford Howell, M.R.C.S., Eng., L.R.C.P., Lond.,
Clinical Tuberculosis Officer.
Before presenting a detailed statement of the work of the Dispensary for
the year, I have to record the appointment of Dr. F. Temple Clive as Assistant
Tuberculosis Officer in succession to the late Dr. W. J. Dowling. Dr. Clive,
whose previous experience of diseases of the chest as House Physician and
Resident Medical Officer at Victoria Park Hospital well qualifies him for his
present appointment, took up his duties in June.
There has been no noteworthy change in the routine work of the department.
The sessions, which have remained unaltered, are as follows :—Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from 10 to 12 o'clock ;
Wednesday evenings from 5.30 to 7 ; Thursday evenings from 7.30 to 9 o'clock.
Saturday mornings are reserved as far as possible for school children, and the
evening sessions for those patients who are at work during the day. Except
that children may not attend the late Thursday evening sessions, these
reservations are not strictly enforced if it is found to be inconvenient for any
particular patient to attend during the morning.
As a result, I presume, of further recent criticisms with reference to the
lengthy periods of waiting in the out-patient departments of some hospitals,
I am frequently being asked for information on the subject as it affects
Dispensary patients, and on our practice in regard to dressing arrangements.
I would like to point out that to avoid unnecessary delays, patients may
attend during any part of a session, and are seen strictly in order of their
arrival at the hospital, irrespective of whether they are new or old cases.
This arrangement reduces the period of waiting to a minimum. The majority
of the patients are seen within a quarter of an hour of their arrival, and
seldom are they called upon to wait more than half an hour.
With regard to dressing facilities, we are fortunate in having two dressingrooms
attached to each consulting-room. This arrangement greatly facilitates
our work, and renders unnecessary separate sessions for the sexes. Moreover,
it ensures privacy for the patients, and even on busy days it is not the practice
for more than one patient to occupy a dressing-room at one time, except
in the case of members of the same family.
The two Medical Officers continue to consult one another on most new
cases, and afterwards discuss any point of special difficulty and decide on
appropriate treatment.
Opportunity for further consultations is available to us, as our close working
arrangement with the hospital offers unique facilities for specialist opinions
in its various departments. The advice of Physician, Surgeon, Laryngologist,
Radiologist, Pathologist or Dentist is always available, and a personal
consultation with a member of the Staff readily obtainable. The advantages
of such an arrangement are obvious, and we are particularly grateful to the
Laryngologist and Radiologist for their ready response to our increasing
calls on their time.
The number of patients X-rayed (380 Hackney cases and 290 Bethnal
Green) shows an increase of 34% over the figures of last year. As was