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24
TUMOUR DIAGNOSTIC CLINIC.
During 1929 the Clinic was visited by 34 patients (14
males and 20 females), who, together with old patients, made
a total of 71 attendances. Of the new patients, 11 were sent
by Medical Practitioners, 7 came on the recommendation of
former patients, and the remainder (16) applied as a result of
propaganda, chiefly from reading the Booklet " Better Health,"
of which some 2,000 are distributed in the Borough every month.
This Booklet contains notices of the various activities of the
Public Health Department, including the Tumour Diagnostic
Clinic.
The procedure adopted remains the same as that described
fully in last year's Report, and has worked quite satisfactorily.
The problem of attracting patients, however, remains as difficult
as ever. A survey of the Death Returns for 1929 shows that
150 deaths were registered in the Borough as due to Malignant
Diseases, yet only 34 people were apparently aware that a Clinic
existed at their doors for the early diagnosis of such diseases,
for it cannot be doubted but that a large proportion of these
150 deaths would have been prevented by early diagnosis and
treatment. "Too late and again too late" may be said of almost
every case of cancer and sarcoma.
It is of course remembered that most patients make for
Hospital when a "growth" is suspected, but it seems a pity
that with the facilities provided by the Borough Council,
patients should spend hours in the waiting rooms of the already
overcrowded Hospitals when with but a few minutes interval
they can be seen at the Borough Clinic.
Of the 34 patients (an increase of 3 on last year), 11
gave a history of cancer in members of the family (8 on the
female side and 3 on the male side). The conditions found
were classified as follows: —
Carcinoma 2 Ulcer of Tongue (non-malignant) 2
Sarcoma 1 Warts 4
Odontoma 1 Mastitis 3
Uterine Fibroids 4 Hernia 2
Lipoma 1 Dyspepsia 6
Sebaceous Cysts 3 Other Conditions 5
Four patients were referred to the Consultant (Mr.
Davies-Colley), three of whom were diagnosed as suffering from
cancer. Appropriate treatment was advised for all cases and