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29
Tuberculosis Care Committee
The London County Council is responsible for care and after care work under Section 28
of the National Health Service Act, 1946, but the Islington Tuberculosis Care Committee
remains in being, working in conjunction with the Islington Chest Clinic, and Members of the
Borough Council and the Medical Officer of Health serve on this Committee. The Tuberculosis
Care Committee is able to assist patients in many ways, and the Tuberculosis Care Organiser
reports that an average of 114 cases per quarter were helped with extra nourishment during
the year, while loans of beds, bedding and medical appliances were made to 11 patients from
the L.C.C. loan stock, others were referred to various organisations for assistance.
The Care Committee administers an occupational therapy service with occupational
therapists employed by the L.C.C. The following figures illustrate the extent of the service
provided:-
No. of weekly classes at end of year 1
No. of patients in class 9
No. of sessions of instructions in homes during
last week of year 16
No. of patients receiving instruction at home 55
Respiratory Infections
In February, 1959, information was received of a considerable prevalence of respiratory
illness.
In accordance with an extremely useful arrangement with the Ministry of Pensions and
National Insurance, information from local offices is passed to the Medical Officer of Health
whenever there may be an unusual increase in sickness certification Such information was
first received for the week ended 12th February, when sickness claims had increased to 260 per
cent. of the weekly average and were still tending to rise. In the following week the claims
actually rose to 380 per cent. of the average and the majority of claims were made on account
of various respiratory conditions, e.g. colds, influenza, bronchitis, etc.
In the latter part of January there were several recurrent fogs and quite a severe smog"'
episode on 29th January, although it was of relatively short duration The atmospheric
pollution figures were several times above average.