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Hammersmith Chest Clinic
The service activities of the Chest Clinic remain un changed from previous years: our main
aim is to provide a rapid, efficient,courteous service for patients, their relatives and their doctors.
All forms of respiratory disease are dealt with, but the bulk of the routine work relates to the
"Cigarette* diseases - bronchitis and cancer of the lung - together with tuberculosis which remains
a persistent problem. New cases of both lung cancer and tuberculosis are regularly seen at the rate
of more than one per week.
The load of routine work continues at a similar high level (22,727 total attendances and
1,052 new attendances during the year) but research and teaching activities are not neglected: work
on bronchoscopic photography, chemotherapy of tuberculosis, cytological diagnostic techniques
and carcinoma of the bronchus is proceeding. All this work has a practical aspect aimed at improving
either patient services or teaching of students.
Hopes were raised durin g the year by promises of slightly improved accommodation, but
again such provisions have been postponed. The premises for this very busy unit remain hopelessly
inadequate; patients and staff must wait or work in cramped, awkward and quite unsuitable surroundings.
Sincere thanks go to all members of the clinic staff who work so conscientiously, cheerfully
and loyally in these difficult conditions.
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