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7
Mass Miniature Radiography. .
In November, the London County Council's Mass Miniature Radiography
Unit was established at St. Pancras L.C.C. Hospital and became
available for use by persons resident or working in this Borough.
Employers of the larger firms in Hampstead were approached, and as
a result, application was made for 1,912 persons to be X-rayed. Of this
number, 1,290 were referred direct to the London County Council for
central appointment, by reason of difficult times requested for X-raying,
or very large numbers of examinees. Appointments at St. Pancras
Hospital were made for the remaining 622, of which only 537 presented
themselves for examination. Of these, nine showed some abnormality
and large films were taken. Three of these films were found to be within
normal limits, two showed healed tuberculous lesions, whilst four patients,
who were probably tuberculous, were referred to the General Practitioner
concerned.
Chest Clinic and Tuberculosis Dispensary.
The Dispensary premises remain uriatisfactory. The situation, on the
west side of the Borough, makes it difficult of access to a large percentage
of patients. The building itself is unsuitable, owing to the noise
from the streets and a neighbouring garage. It is also badly planned;
the waiting, reception and changing facilities for patients leave much to
be desired, and there is no X-ray plant.
A centrally situated Clinic designed on modern lines, with an attractive
waiting room, reception room, undressing cubicles and an X-ray plant, is
an urgent necessity if the tuberculosis service of the Borough is to function
satisfactorily. This matter is now being considered by the Public Health
Committee.
Hospital and Sanatorium Assommodation.
The greatest defect in the tuberculosis scheme nowadays is the long
waiting period which elapses before the patient can be found a bed in a
tuberculosis hospital or sanatorium.
This long delay increases the opportunities for the spread of infection
to others, particularly nowadays, when housing accommodation is so
unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the early case, or the quiescent case that
commences to breakdown, cannot receive that immediate treatment which
is so essential. Thus, the early detection of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis,
which has been brought about by Mass Radiography, as well as
the careful supervision of contacts, close liaison with general practitioners,
and the education of the public, is being largely nullified. The bed
shortage also makes it difficult or impossible to find hospital accommodation
for acute emergencies, such as cases of haemoptysis, and for
patients who require observation for the establishment of a diagnosis.
The home-help scheme, which was introduced before the War, is
proving invaluable, but whilst it is of great service to both the early and
the advanced patient, it only offsets to a small degree the lack of hospital
accommodation. The bed shortage is surely one of the most urgent
national problems of to-day.
Housing.
The tuberculosis problem is closely associated with the shortage of
suitable housing accommodation. Overcrowding is a potent factor in the
spread of tuberculosis. Many houses occupied by tuberculous patients