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Dispensary Treatment.—Following are particulars of the work carried out at the Paddington Tuberculosis Dispensary
Newton Road :—
No. of patients examined for 1st time (excluding contacts) 1,009
No. of above found tuberculous 202
No. of contacts examined 216
No. of contacts found tuberculous 3
No. of attendances at Dispensary 7,134
No. of visits by Tuberculosis Officers 164
No. of visits by Tuberculosis Nurses 2,102
No. of cases on Dispensary Register at end of year 946
No. of artificial pneumothorax refills given 2,101
No. of X-Ray examinations made 2,761
No. of specimens of sputum examined 676
Tuberculosis Care Committee.—This Committee, whose work is ancillary to that of the Paddington Tuberculosis
Dispensary, met on several occasions during the year, Twenty-two patients or their families were given practical
assistance from the limited funds at the disposal of the Committee, and many other cases were dealt with by reference
to appropriate organisations.
Maintenance Allowances.—Eighty-five new applications were dealt with, making a total of 446 since the inception of
the scheme.
Beds and Bedding.—The Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930, empower a local authority to "supply all
such medical or other assistance and all such facilities and articles as may be required for . . . preventing the spread
of infection." One of the ways in which this power is employed is to supply beds and bedding in suitable cases to
encourage separate sleeping. Three patients were so assisted during the year.
Shelters.—Under the same Regulations the Council may also provide open air shelters. There is not much call for this
service, but provision is made in the Annual Estimates for the purchase of shelters should they be required.
Artificial Pneumothorax Refills.—189 refills were given to 9 patients at outlying hospitals at a cost to the Council of
10s. 6d. each. For particulars of the refills given at the Paddington Tuberculosis Dispensary see above.
Light Treatment.—One patient received this form of treatment at a London hospital, the Council guaranteeing to defray
the cost.
In-patient Accommodation.—At the request of the Council the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee
approached the Ministry of Health on the serious shortage of in-patient accommodation for tuberculous persons,
resulting in patients having to remain on the waiting list for as long as three months. In his reply the Minister of
Health stated that the problem was one of staffing rather than of actual shortage of accommodation, and that both
the Minister of Health and the Minister of Labour and National Service were taking all possible steps to solve the
matter.
Dental Treatment.—Sixty-three attendances were made at the 12 sessions held at the dental clinic. The Council made
a grant towards the cost of the dentures required by one necessitous patient .
Extra Nourishment.—One hundred and fifty-seven grants were made under the Council's scheme during the year, but
owing to the restrictions imposed by rationing, milk was still the only food which could be supplied.
During the year the Council asked the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee to take up with the
Ministry of Food the desirability of increasing and improving supplies of extra nourishment to tuberculous patients
generally. The outcome of this was that the Minister of Food gave an assurance that, whilst no improvement could
be promised during the present world shortage of food, the scheme of de-rationing that had been prepared placed
tuberculous persons high in the order of priority. The Minister stated however, that the Food Rationing (Special
Diets) Advisory Committee of the Medical Research Council were satisfied that the present allowances were adequate
for the maintenance of a satisfactory diet.
mass radiography.—The London County Council's X-Ray Unit was not available for Paddington residents and
employees during the year. It is, however, interesting to record that of the 90,379 persons examined in the County of
London from October 1943 to July 1945, 744 were found to have pulmonary lesions of probably tuberculous origin,
which gives a percentage of 0.82. This is the latest information at the time of going to press.
diabetes.—Use continued to be made of the powers given to local authorities by the Minister of Health to supply
insulin free of charge to necessitous persons who did not come within the scope of the Insurance or Poor Law Acts.
Nine patients were assisted in this manner by the Council during 1946.