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41
Respiratory Tuberculosis
During the year, 128 cases of respiratory Tuberculosis were
diagnosed and added to the register, of these 62% were in the
category of minimal disease and an appreciable number were discovered
by Mass Radiography Unit examination. The continued use
of these Units is to be encouraged to bring such readily treated
cases to light. The work of the Mass Radiography Unit accounts for
the increase of new cases over the previous year.

Table 2 shows the falling incidence of Tuberculosis over the
past eight years and the remarkable reduction in mortality for
which credit must be given to the universal use of chemo-therapy.
The increase in total cases on the register for the year appears
to be associated with the priority re-housing of Tuberculosis cases
and preliminary figures for the first part of 1958 show that for
the first time transfers in exceed those transferred out.
Treatment
The management of cases of Tuberculosis including all forms
of treatment, the examination of contacts and provision of additional
help is all arranged at the Chest Clinic.
The advent of chemo-therapy has changed the pattern of treatment
completely and during 1957 over 200 people were given drug treatment
at home. Admission to Hospital or Sanatorium is still necessary on
occasion, particularly where thoracic surgery is indicated. There
were 55 such admissions during the year.
Less and less use is being made of artificial lung collapse
by pneumo-thorax or pneumoperitoneum, and 585 refills were
performed at the Clinic in the year.
There is no waiting list for in patient treatment.