View report page

54
It will be noted that the greatest decrease proportionally is in the
contact cases. The fact that the proportion cases recommended by
general practitioners is well maintained suggests that the Dispensary
continues to play its useful part in the health work of the City. This is
supported by the fact that 58 per cent. of the total number of cases notified
in Westminster during the year have been examined in connection
with the work of the Dispensary, as compared with 64.8 per cent. and
60.8 per cent. in the last two years. The decrease in the number of
contacts examined may be in some degree due to the fact that in 1925 the
work was carried on for the first three-quarters by a part time Tuberculosis
Officer and in the last quarter by a new Officer, but the decrease
in notification is largely responsible.
There has been no radical alteration in the work of the Dispensary
which has been described elsewhere. Advantage has, however, been taken
of two new schemes started during the year for the treatment of tuberculous
subjects and contacts, and it may be of interest to refer to these
briefly.
In April, 1925, the London County Council started a scheme for the
boarding out of children from heavily infected and overcrowded homes
during the terminal stages of a case of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the
family, and of children who have been discharged from sanatoria, to
prevent the necessity of returning home if the conditions there are
unsuitable.
There can be no doubt that, to have such a scheme available for suitable
cases, is a most valuable thing for the Dispensary and it is satisfactory
to note that the scheme is to be continued although on restricted lines.
The other agency referred to is the Artificial Sunlight Clinic recently
started in Tufton Street by the British Humane Association. A number
of school children attending the Dispensary have had a course of treatment
at this Clinic on the recommendation of the Tuberculosis Officer
or through some other agency. The most suitable cases appear to be
those of the rachitic type, with enlarged cervical glands and of poor
nutrition. Many of these children appear to derive a marked tonic
effect from this treatment and rapidly improve in weight and general
condition. No pulmonary cases have been recommended for Sunlight
treatment by the Dispensary, but a few cases have been examined who
have been treated in this way. In none of these was anything found to
suggest that the lung condition had been improved by the treatment and
in several cases activity appeared to have been increased.
The following table shows the number of cases recommended for
institutional treatment to the London County Council:—