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Other preventive measures.
In addition to the B.C.G. vaccination schemes, other preventive measures
include the chest X-ray of all newly appointed staff who are likely to work in
close and frequent contact with children,staff at the Council's training centres
for mentally subnormal persons and of tuberculin reactors discovered among
thirteen-year old schoolchildren, students and others tested with a view to
B.C.G. vaccination.
Epidemiological investigations are made among the contacts of cases of
tuberculosis notified in children, staff or residents in the Council's
establishments. Similar investigations are carried out at secondary schools
where the reactor rates disclosed by tuberculin surveys are significantly
higher than the average for secondary schools in the area.
Chest Clinics
In conjunction with the North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board
and the Brompton Hospital,and in accordance with proposals under Section 28 of
the National Health Service Act 1946, tuberculosis prevention, care and aftercare
services for patients living at home are provided at three chest clinics
in the Borough staffed by chest physicians, tuberculosis visitors, welfare
officers and clerks.
Services include (i) B C.G. vaccination of persons who have been in contact
with tuberculous patients;
(ii) Home visiting by health visitors;,.
(iii) Social work by welfare officers;
(iv) Assistance in cash or kind not available from official sources by
Chest Clinic voluntary committees from their voluntary funds. The welfare
officers act as secretaries to these voluntary committees;
(v) Boarding-out of child tuberculous contacts;
(vi) Home nursing including the loan of bedding and nursing equipment;
(vii) Home helps;
(viii) Extra nourishment;
(ix) Rehousing of selected tuberculous families"
(x) Recuperative holidays;
(xi) Maintenance during industrial rehabilitation at voluntary village
settl ements;
(xii) Admission to hostels for homeless tuberculous men.
Statistics relating to these services are on page 85 .
Chest Diseases Care Committees
Three such committees operate in the Borough. During the year they continued
to give help to those in need who attend the Chest Clinics. Assistance was
given by way of clothing, payments for holidays, television licences, fuel
allowances, electricity accounts, fares for relatives to visit patients in
hospital, pocket-money for patients in hospital, also Christmas parcels and
outings.
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