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64
Westminster Hospital Chest Clinic—Dr. P. A. Emerson, Consultant Physician
The number of patients attending the clinic has increased since last year, but again the number of
newly diagnosed cases of tuberculosis has fallen slightly compared with the previous year. Twentyeight
new cases of tuberculosis were notified during 1969; twenty-one were males, seven were
females and there was one case of tuberculosis in a child.
Only three of the tuberculous patients were referred to the clinic by their general practitioners.
Nine were discovered by the South West London Mass X-ray Unit and another fourteen were notified
by various other hospitals and mass X-ray units.
The regular visits to Bruce House and the lodging houses in Great Peter Street to offer chest
X-rays to the men who live there have continued.
A research project studying the effects of atmospheric conditions and air pollution on the
conditions of patients with bronchitis and asthma living in Westminster is continuing.
Statistics relating to notifications of tuberculosis in Westminster, and deaths, during 1969, are set
out in Table 5, page 69, whilst further statistics dealing with care and after-care of tuberculous
patients, and work undertaken at the three Chest Clinics, are set out in Table 57, page 99.