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80
TUBERCULOSIS
The Council is responsible for services for the prevention of tuberculosis
and the care and after care of tuberculosis patients in the community. These
services function in conjunction with the chest clinics provided by the Regional
Hospital Boards and the Boards of Governors of teaching hospitals and are under
the general supervision of the chest physician. The Council either employs or pays
the full cost of T.B. health visitors and reimburses the hospital authorities a proportion
of the cost of social work with chest clinic patients.
There were 3,992 patients on chest clinic registers at 31 December 1969.
T.B. health visitors made 2,915 effective home visits and 166 patients received
extra nourishment or other benefits.
The Council is responsible for Knight's Hill Hostel for homeless infective
T.B. men which provides 29 places. It is used extensively by other Inner London
Boroughs, there being only three such hostels in London.
B.C.G. Vaccination
B.C.G. Vaccination against T.B. is undertaken both at the chest clinics,
which normally deal with contacts, and by the Council's doctors in schools. The
protection is offered to all 13 year old school-children each year and during the
period 357 contacts and 2,260 school-children were vaccinated.
TUBERCULIN TEST AND B.C.G. VACCINATION
Number of persons vaccinated through the Authority's approved arrangements
under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act.