View report page

TUBERCULOSIS. 39
In Table I., Appendix B, will be found the street distribution of the cases first reported last
year, the "suspect" cases being included in the total number of cases entered against each street
and shown separately by the figures in parentheses.* As the mere numbers of cases in the
streets would by themselves have little or no value, the approximate number of inhabitants
(Census, 1911) in each street has been taken out, and also the number of houses invaded. It is
not recommended that any rates should be based on the numbers given, nor that the figures for the
one year should be used to form any conclusions as to the special incidence of the disease.
Patients change their addresses fairly frequently, and until tables such as that now submitted have
been compiled for a fairly long series of years, conclusions as to the relative (locality) frequency
of the disease are to be deprecated.
Each case reported during the year, except 32 reported on by the medical attendants, was
visited once at least by the Women Inspectors. Subsequent visits depended upon the need for
further advice (and help) of the patients and the pressure of work in the Department. The
occupations of the patients on the Register during the year are set out in Table 29 (page 48). It
has been found impossible to attempt any further analysis of the information collected in the
course of the visits.
In the course of the year 295 of the cases known prior to 1912 (Table 28, page 47) were
removed from the Register, and 148 of those reported during the year (Table 27). The causes
of such removals were :— Cases reported
prior to 1912. during 1912.
Death 55 76
Removal, &c. 199 60
Reported "arrested" 37 —
Diagnosis reviewed 4 12
The relatively large number of " removals " recorded among the old cases is due to special
inquiries made for the purpose of purging the Register. Some of the patients struck off the
Register for this cause, and by reason of reported "arrest" of the disease, may be expected to be
replaced at a later date.
Among the 131 deaths included in the above statement there were 25 of which the primary
(and in some the only) certified cause of death was a disease other than pulmonary tuberculosis.
The statement given below indicates that the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is far from
easy. The sex-age distribution is very different from that observed among the deaths from
pulmonary tuberculosis.

(S) These cases were reported as " suspected pulmonary tuberculosis" only.
* A complete street distribution of survivors at the end of 1912 will, it is hoped, be included in the next report.