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41
Assistance through the Committee has been obtained for 30 patients
requiring dentures. The cost has been paid by the Guardians in 17
cases, by the Borough Council in two cases, and by the Red Cross
Society in four cases. In other cases, grants have been obtained from
the approved societies, the Hospital Sunday Fund, the Hospital Savings
Association, the Society for the Relief of Distress, etc., etc.
The Council has supplied on loan, beds and bedding to patients who
have been advised to sleep separately, but who have not the means of
arranging this for themselves. Sixteen patients have been assisted in
this way during the year and, in addition, two shelters have been
obtained and erected by the Council in the patients' own yards or
gardens on the Committee's recommendation.
The Committee have found very helpful the scheme recently
inaugurated by the London County Council for boarding out in the
country children living in infected homes, and children due to be discharged
from sanatoria whose homes are temporarily unsuitable for
their return. The scheme has only been in operation since April, but
during the period April 1st to December 31st, 26 children were accepted
for boarding out. Arrangements for placing the children are in the
hands of the Invalid Children's Aid Association.
(xiii.) Particulars as to any local arrangements for finding employment
for -patients.
No local arrangements exist for finding employment, for patients,
apart from the Labour Exchanges, which hitherto have not been of much
service to the tuberculous patient. In accordance with suggestions
emanating from the Ministry of Health, patients returning from sanatoria
fit for non-laborious occupations, have been sent to the Exchange
with a special letter from the Tuberculosis Officer, stating the type of
work for which they are suitable, accompanied, where possible, by a
certificate of freedom from infection. None of them has, so far as I know,
obtained work by this means. When, as now, there is a great scarcity
of work for the physically fit, it is hardly to be expected that, apart
from philanthropic schemes, special jobs should be forthcoming for
the tuberculous.
It has been possible, thanks to the Poplar Guardians, to arrange
the admission of several patients to the Papworth Colony, in the hope
that they may find suitable work there under specially favourable conditions.
While some of these are unable to settle down, or are found unsuitable
and return home, several others, notably women, appear to