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Tuberculosis, therefore, should be conclusively proved
before notification is made, and the evidence for such a
notification should never be regarded as sufficient, if made
on clinical grounds alone.
An analysis of the evidence for the notifications in the
T.B. Minus group revealed a lack of leal supporting
evidence in most eases.
Juvenile tuberculosis is not easy to diagnose without
complete investigation, and, unless this is carried out,
therefore, it is obvious, that this form of tuberculosis
receives the greatest quota of errors in diagnosis and treatment.
One cannot advocate too strongly for an increase in the
use of X-rays in the diagnosis of chest diseases in general,
and tuberculosis in particular.
Very careful serial radiological examinations will definitely
eliminate the pseudo-tuberculous conditions.
Many non-tuberculous conditions are therefore seen,
erroneously diagnosed as tuberculosis for want of a complete
investigation, and thus find themselves classified in the
" T.B. Minus group," and ultimately wend their way into
sanatoria.
Doubtful cases might sometimes be notified for the mere
privilege of sending them away to sanatoria in the countrya
preventorium would be a more ideal institution for this
type of case.
Local authorities should make provision for, or arrangements
with, a first-class hospital laboratory for a more
searching investigation into the fields of pathology, so that
all possible pathological evidence can be obtained in doubtful
cases of tuberculosis.
The investigation consisted of two surveys into the 200
cases originally notified as suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis
with negative sputum, occurring in the decade
1926-1935. The first survey was conducted on documental