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Comments on Table I.
Items A and B.—The total new cases and contacts examined during
the year show a decrease of 23 as compared with 1935. The 657 new
cases of Item A is a composite figure made up as follows: 402 cases
(excluding contacts) attending for the first time during 1936, and 255 cases
examined during preceding years (including contacts examined during
preceding years) and discharged as non-tuberculous, who presented themselves
for re-examination during 1936 with suspicious symptoms. These
cases are grouped together under Item A according to instructions in the
Ministry of Health's Memorandum 37/T. Revised. Of these 657 new
cases, 175 were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis.
403 new contacts (Item B) were examined during the year, and of
these, 9 were found to be suffering from Tuberculosis.
Item 5.—The number of attendances at the Dispensary during 1936,
namely 6,764, shows an increase of 670 over the number for 1935, and
now becomes the largest recorded since 1923.
Item 8.—The visits paid by the Tuberculosis Officers show an increase
of 43 over the total for 1935, and the present figure of 647 is the highest
recorded.
Item 9.—In addition to the 7,288 visits paid by the Health Visitors
for dispensary purposes (an increase of 724 over the number for 1935),
299 "non-dispensary" visits were paid under the Public Health
(Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930.
Item 10.—The number of X-ray examinations at St. Andrew's
Hospital shows an increase of no over the figure for 1935. The X-ray
plant at the Dispensary continues to be used for screening purposes when
the occasion arises, chiefly for cases undergoing artificial pneumothorax
treatment.
Included in the 831 specimens of sputum, etc., examined at the
Dispensary were 7 specimens of urine examined for the presence of
tubercle bacilli.
Comments on Tables II and III.
These returns continue to remain optional. During the year 69
cases were removed from the Dispensary Register as ''recovered'' (there
were 71 in 1935), and are analysed in Item C on Table I. These have
been added to those similarly removed in former years in the appropriate
columns on Tables II and III. During the year one case of nonpulmonary
tuberculosis developed pulmonary tuberculosis, and has been
accordingly transferred from Table III to Table II.