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18
TUBERCULOSIS.
met for the first time on March 2nd, 1923, and decided to meet on the Friday of each week except in
holiday times.
The work of the Committee is intended to be complementary to that of the tuberculosis medical
services. Whereas the medical treatment aims at curing the sick body, the Care Committee seeks to
deal with (what may be briefly described as) the "sick" social conditions of the patient's family. The
Committee's aims are (among others) to obviate, if possible, the harm accruing from impoverished
finance, to point out and assist in remedying undesirable conditions of the home, to advise, so far as the
patient will allow, as to the method of getting the best results from earnings, and generally to act
as his guide, philosopher and friend. Apart from the work here sketched, the County Council refers
to the Committee all questions relating to assessments towards the cost of maintenance in residential
institutions to which patients may be admitted under that Council's scheme. The County Council has
also appointed the whole Committee as the School Care Committee for Kensal House School
The Committee has no funds at their disposal for distribution in cases of necessity, and therefore
patients requiring financial assistance are referred to the Charity Organisation Society, the Red Cross
Society, etc., according to the needs of the case. The Committee is in very close touch with all the
organisations concerned with ex-service men, with the Labour Exchange and with Mutual Registration.
Unfortunately, the present position of the housing question and the large amount of unemployment
very seriously restrict two of the most import ant functions of the Committee, namely, assisting
the tuberculous to secure employment suited to their condition and the improvement of the housing
conditions of the families when undue crowding—quite distinct from overcrowding—is found to exist.
The work of the Committee cannot be adequately described by statistical methods. The following
summary of the work done is a very imperfect account of the Committee's activities, and altogether
fails to convey any idea of the personal element, which is of the greatest importance in social work.
On the recommendation of the Tuberculosis Officers 31 persons were referred by the Care Committee to local
charities for general help, convalescence or nourishment, 19 to the C.O.S., who gave the required help in 16 cases
and arranged for the other 3, and 12 to the Red Cross and United Services Fund, who assisted in every case.
In 4 cases where sleeping accommodation was found to be unsatisfactory, beds and bedding were lent by the
Public Health Committee.
The cases of 7 patients requiring dental treatment were reported to the Committee, and in 5 instances grants
towards the cost were obtained from the Public Health Committee. The total sum granted from the Public
Health Committee amounted to £14 14s. Od.
In 3 instances patients had been unable to obtain the payment of sick benefit. The cases were reported to
the Ministry of Health's Insurance Inspectors, who arranged for the amounts due to be paid.
In 8 instances the question of finding work for patients or members of their families came before the Committee.
One patient was found to be incapacitated, 4 obtained work through the Committee's efforts, and 3 by their own.
One baby was placed, through the Committee, in Beauchamp Lodge while the mother underwent treatment,
and a grant of 7s. 6d. a week towards the maintenance made by the Public Health Committee.
The attention of the Medical Officer of Health was directed to 5 houses where sanitary defects existed, who
arranged for their investigation and remedy.
Mortality.—(Tables 6 and 7). The total number of deaths from tuberculosis during the
year was 127, 97 from pulmonary forms and 30 from other forms. The annual averages for 1918-22
were— all forms, 146; pulmonary, 115; other forms, 31. In comparison with those averages last
year's figures show the following reductions—total, 13 per cent.—pulmonary 16, other forms, 3.
The 97 deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis comprised 53 of males and 44 of females. The
following statement shows the steady fall in the number of deaths since the quinquennium 1906-10.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Annual Averages.
Males. Females. Males. Females.
1901-05 88 64 1911-15 87 65
1906-10 93 58 1916-20 79 66
Males. Females.
1921-23 59 44
Comparing the averages for 1921-23 with the maximal figures—males, 93 (1906-10); females,
66 (1916-20)—reductions of 37 and 33 per cent, will be noted.
The deaths from all other forms of the disease (30) comprised 14 of males and 16 of females,
numbers not very different from the averages (males, 15; females, 17) for 1918-22. The fall in the
number of deaths since 1901 is shown in the following statement.