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44
REPORT OF THE TUBERCULOSIS OFFICER FOR 1938.
The primary notifications of tuberculosis for 1938 numbered
330, of which 264 were of pulmonary tuberculosis and 66 of other
forms of tuberculosis. During the year 153 persons died from
pulmonary tuberculosis and 22 died from other forms of the disease.
The death-rate from pulmonary tuberculosis was 0.61 per 1,000
inhabitants, as compared with 0.59 for 1937 and 0.62 for 1936.
Cases on Register.- The cases of tuberculosis on the Town
Hall register number 1,309 (pulmonary 1,011, other forms
298); while those on the Dispensary register number 1,162 (pulmonary
944, other forms 218). Thus 88.7 per cent. of all the
tuberculous cases in the Borough have either attended the Dispensary
or have been seen by the Tuberculosis Officer.
Attendances of Patients.- During the year, 999new patients attended
the Dispensary, while the total attendances numbered 3,859. This
compares with 864 new patients and a total attendance of 3,439 in
1937. Of the new cases 291 were referred to the Dispensary by
their Medical Attendants, 291 were referred from hospitals or from
other areas, 273 were contacts of tuberculous patients and 127
applied on their own initiative. A summary of first attendance is
shown in Table C.
Home Visiting.- The three Health Visitors paid 5,406 visits
to the homes of patients, every newly-notified case being visited as
soon as possible after notification and subsequent visits being paid
as often as required. The Tuberculosis Officer visited 265 patients
in their homes and also saw 10 patients there in consultation with
their Medical Attendants. A record is kept at the Dispensary of
the condition of every tuberculous patient in the Borough. Those
who have kept entirely free from symptoms for a period of 5 years
(pulmonary tuberculosis) or 3 years (non-pulmonary tuberculosis)
after completion of their treatment are marked off the register as
"disease arrested" and are asked to report again should symptoms
recur. It is quite exceptional for any cases thus removed from the
register to return at a later date on account of a break-down,