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It was decided to offer new entrants to Borough primary schools a tuberculin test at age five years in an
effort to detect unknown cases in the community, the family contacts of children producing strongly
positive reactions to be followed up at the Chest Clinic. Plans were put in hand to introduce this test in
1971.
A pilot scheme of tuberculin testing all new immigrant children was introduced at one school in the
Borough, with the same object of tracing family contacts.
New techniques of immunisation against tuberculosis were introduced during the year. The Heaf test,
which was substituted for the Mantoux test, is an almost painless multi puncture method. The subsequent
vaccination was carried out by the Pan-Jet method. This forces the vaccine into the skin by air pressure and
as no needle is involved, it is absolutely painless.
It is hoped that these new methods will make skin-testing and vaccination more acceptable to children
and thus help to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis by early detection.
T.B. INCIDENTS
During 1970 a member of staff at a school in the Borough was notified as suffering from tuberculosis.
Following investigation of school contacts 40 children required supervision by the Chest Physician.
CHIROPODY
In my last report I stated that the new Chief Chiropodist commenced duty on 1st July, 1969.
Unfortunately, he resigned during 1970 and his last day of service was 31st August, 1970. Difficulty was
again experienced in recruiting a replacement and the new Chief Chiropodist commenced duty on 23rd
November, 1970.

DOMICILIARY
In 1970 transport was not provided for folk needing chiropody who were unable to make their own way
to the clinic and these people were, therefore, treated in their own homes. This increased the number of
domiciliary chiropody treatments carried out in the year, but even taking this into consideration the
number of such treatments increased by 1,182.