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Thus there is a slight increase in the cases recommended by practitioners.
The proportion recommended by Health Visitors is much
the same as last year. There is a tendency to gradual decrease in the
number of new cases sent by the Ministry of Pensions. As might be
expected, there is also a falling-oS in the number of old pensions cases
attending the Dispensary. Many pensioners have died, while others have
reached a quiescent or chronic stage, when only occasional attendance at
the Dispensary is required. New pensions cases, apart from transfers,
will soon cease to occur. It is therefore reasonable to expect that the
work for the Ministry of Pensions, which was a few years ago a large
item in the Dispensary work, will soon dwindle to a very small proportion.
If the present marked fall in the incidence of Tuberculosis continues,
a gradual falling-off in the number of new cases seen at the Dispensary
may be expected. It will be some considerable time, however, before
a decrease is very appreciable in the Dispensary work, as much of the
work is in connection with old cases who often attend the Dispensary for
many years, and are liable to return to the Dispensary with a recrudescence
of the disease long after they have been discharged or have ceased to
attend regularly.
The Work Centre for the production of firewood started by the London
County Council for tuberculous pensioners was closed last Autumn, but
has been reopened elsewhere. Several of the Dispensary patients have
attended this Centre for long periods. This scheme is only available for
pensioners, and much benefit could be derived from a scheme open to
both men and women, where paid work was available, for patients returning
after Sanatorium treatment. The work would have to be easily learnable,
fairly light, and carried out under good conditions. If the number of
Tuberculosis cases continues to decrease, and the conditions of the labour
market improve, schemes of this nature may become more practicable
than at present. As things are, much of the benefit derived from
1922.
1923.
1924.
1925.
1926.
1927.
New Patients 421 529 613 395 446 428
Old Patients attending 825 800 652 474 519 513
Contacts examined 183 245 271 150 162 131
Individuals who attended 1,246 1,329 1,255 869 965 941
Total Attendances 3,275 3,133 3,292 2,637 2,697 2,627
Written Medical Reports to London County
Council and Medical Practitioners 1,554 1,651 1,884 1,280 1,378 1,270
Consultations with Medical Practitioners 181 209 243 90 92 105
Other visits paid by Medical Officer 315 227 178 87 46 149
Visits by Health Visitors to Dispensary
Cases 4,995 4,717 4,907 5,636 4,144 4,875
Sputum Examinations 327 360 232 443 223 172
X-ray Examinations 16 5 2 2 5 12