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369
valuable and keep the work of the Dispensary in close touch with
the Public Health Departments of the Borough Councils, and will
be the means of developing to a greater extent the preventive measure
so essential to a Tuberculosis Scheme.
Ex-service men still continue to form a good proportion of the
cases dealt with. The additional clerical work required in these
cases has not been lightened by the instructions issued in November,
1919, whereby all tuberculosis ex-service men, whether insured or
not, must be dealt with through the London Insurance Committee,
and certificates, supplied by the Tuberculosis Officer (as Medical
Referee) for the information of the War Pensions Committee, must
be sent through the L.I.C. These certificates in their circuitious
route, sometimes go astray, or get held back, and duplicates have to
be supplied, causing unnecessary trouble, delay, and inconvenience
to the patients, who are deprived of their treatment allowances,
extra diet, etc., until another certificate is forthcoming.
Several insured patients, who had been attending for some considerable
time, and receiving symptomatic medicinal treatment,
were referred to their panel doctors.
The treatment by drugs is gradually being discontinued, and
reliance placed more on preventive measures and instruction of the
patients in general hygiene, dietetics, etc.
Many cases have been referred, through the Almoner, to the
special departments of the Hospital for treatment, especially to the
Dental and Throat Departments; while the X-Ray Department has
been fully utilised for the purpose of diagnosis.
I beg to express my thanks to the members of the medical and
surgical staff in charge of the various departments of the Hospital
for their ever willing and valuable assistance.
Several medical practitioners have taken advantage of the
Dispensary as a consulting centre, and 1 desire to thank them for
their cordial co-operation.