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training centres for mentally subnormal persons and 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 after-care services for
patients 1iving at home are provided at three chest clinics in the borough staffed by
chest physicians, tuberculosis visitors, welfare officers and clerks. Services
provided from the Chest Clinics include social work by welfare officers and assistance
in cash or kind not available from official sources by chest clinic committees from
their voluntary funds.
The North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board announced during the year
that the chest clinic services for Tower Hamlets and Hackney would be centralised
at the London Chest and Bethnal Green Hospitals, and that the Poplar and Stepney
Chest Clinics would transfer to the London Chest Hospital in July 1971 and January
1972 respectively.
After Care
Other services provided for the care and after care of patients and contacts
include - boarding-out of child contacts, home nursing including the loan of bedding
and nursing equipment; home helps; extranourishment; rehousing of selected tuberculous
families; recuperative holidays; maintenance during industrial rehabilitation at
voluntary village settlements and admission to hostels for homeless tuberculous men.
Statistics relating to these services are on page 89.
Chest Diseases Care Committees
Three chest diseases care committees operate in the borough and I append the
reports of the consultant chest physicians on the work of the committees and clinics
during the year.
Dr. M. Cap]in, Consultant Chest Physician to the Chest Clinic at the London
Chest Hospital reports:
"As far as the Chest Clinic at the London Chest Hospital is concerned, 1970
was the end of an era. The Chest Clinic was founded in 1915 as the Tuberculosis
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