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120
Deaths
There were 18 deaths of patients on the tuberculosis register.
Of these, 15 were men of average age 52 years with extremes 34—77
years, 7 of these deaths were definitely due to tuberculosis. Of the
remaining 8 deaths 5 were due to heart disease, one to silicosis, one
to carcinoma of the bronchus and one to carcinoma of the prostate.
Three women on the tuberculosis register died. One aged 56
with quiescent disease was killed by falling off a bus. Of the two
who died from tubercle one aged 41 years had been diagnosed 11
years previously and had much hospital treatment and chemotherapy.
The other aged 29 years had extensive disease on diagnosis
in 1953. After thoracoplasty in August 1955 she had persistent
bronchitis from which she died 8 weeks later.
Thus it will be seen that out of a population of 89,490 there were
only 9 deaths attributable to tuberculosis, 7 men and 2 women.
So much for the treatment side of tuberculosis. It has been
said that no infectious disease can ever be eradicated merely by treating
the victims of that disease and that maxim certainly applies to
tuberculosis.
Prevention is an extremely important part of our work. By an
active campaign of health education among the families of known
cases of tuberculosis the Health Visitors have continued their invaluable
work. Routine contact investigation as has been shown
earlier in this report is a very fruitful source of new cases of tuberculosis,
and it is only by constant visits and persuasion by the nurses
that many contacts can be induced to attend. The adequate
X-ray facilities available at the Clinic make it possible to keep up
the very high average of 5 contacts X-rayed per new notification,
which is much higher than the national average of just over 2.
It might be said that, by making full use of the 70 mm. Odelca
camera, the cost of X-ray films here is a fraction of departments
using only full-size X-rays.
The efficacy of B.C.G. vaccination has now been generally
accepted and the Medical Research Council's report published early
in 1956 adds authority to this opinion. B.C.G. vaccination has
been offered to all contacts and nurses and other hospital staff and
since 1950 when this work commenced some 600 individuals have
been vaccinated. Not one of these has been known subsequently