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had been ill a considerable time. Elderly housebound patients were also assisted with
extra fuel in the winter.
The Stepney Care Committee again provided a coach outing to Brighton during the summer,
and at Christmas time gifts to provide extra comforts were taken to the more needy
patients at home.
The Future of the Chest Services
In July, the Ministry of Health issued a report on the future of the chest services by a
sub-committee of the Standing Medical Advisory Committee. The terms of reference of the subcommittee
were to consider the general organisation of chest clinics in relation to the rest of
the hospital services and to make recommendations.
Generally the recommendations were still being discussed at the end of the year with the
Regional Hospital Board. A financial recommendation is being put into operation as from 1st
April next year, namely, that relating to the cessation of payment by the Council of part of
the salaries of the Chest Physicians.
Removal to Hospital of Infectious Person
Section 69 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 repealed Section 172 of the
Public Health Act 1936 regarding removal to hospital ofaperson suffering from tuberculosis of
the respiratory tract. By regulation the provisions of Sect ions 169 and 170 of the 1936 Act now
apply in such circumstances.
Health Control of Immigrants
In March the Minister of Health issued a circular which referred to new powers to control
immigration from the Commonwealth provided in the Commonwealth Immigration Act 1968. Under
these new powers any immigrant may be medically examined at the port of entry and may be
required as a condition of entry to report to a Medical Officer of Health with a view to
further examination and any necessary treatment. However, there is no power to apply measures
of compulsion to immigrants who refuse to accept treatment any more than exists to apply such
measures to the indigenous population.
During the year, 544 advice notes, of immigrant arrivals, were received in the department
from various ports of entry and successful contact was made in 366 instances. Of the remaining
178 some had moved to addresses outside the borough and details were forwarded to the authority
concerned but the majority were either not known or had never arrived at the address given.
Two immigrants were admitted on condition that they reported to the Medical Officer of
Health for examination. One was suffering from a minor skin complaint, the other person having
had trachoma. Swabs were taken in the latter case with negative results.
VENEREAL DISEASE
The annual return received from the Venereal Disease CIinic at the London Hospital shows
that new cases attending the clinic during the year were as follows:-
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