View report page

Mass Radiography
Chest X-ray by mass miniature radiography is carried out in the borough by two mobile units
of the North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board Unit 6A, whose headquarters are at the
Connaught Hospital, Walthamstow, covers mainly the Stepney area of the borough whilst Unit 6B,
sited at First Avenue, Plaistow, is responsible for the Bethnal Green and Poplar areas.
I am indebted to the Medical Directors and Organising Secretaries for the information on
visits to the borough by the mobile units and on the work of the static unit during 1969 which
will be found on page 90 (Details of abnormalities ascertained are not yet available in respect
of this year's survey and those figures given relate to 1968).
Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925
These Regulations provide that persons suffering from tuberculosis of the respiratory tract
shall not be employed in the handling of milk or milk receptacles. Power is given to the Council
to cause such persons to discontinue their employment. It was not found necessary to take action
under the Regulations during the year.
B.C.G. Vaccination
The numbers of children vaccinated during the year, under the Council's scheme for the
B.C.G. vaccination of susceptible (tuberculin negative) child contacts of known tuberculous
patients, diabetic children, thirteen-year old schoolchildren, students at further education
establishments and mentally subnormal persons at training centres, are shown in Table 15on
P age 90
Other Preventive Measures
In addition to the B.C.G. vaccination scheme, other preventive measures include the chest
X-ray of all newly appointed staff and a triennial X-ray of those who are likely to work in close
and frequent .contact with children, staff at the Council's training centres for mentally subnormal
persons and tuberculin reactors discovered among thirteen-year old schoolchildren, students and
otherp 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 CI inics
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 after-care services for patients living at home are
provided at three chest clinics in the borough staffed by chest physicians, tuberculosis visitors,
welfare off icers and clerks Services providedfrom the Chest Clinics include, social work by wel fare
officers and assistance in cash or kind not available from official sources by chest clinic
commi ttees from their voluntary funds.
18