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(5) The Tuberculosis Care Committee.-The general functions
of a Care Committee are to. assist as far as possible in
ameliorating the social circumstances of the patients. At the
present time the work of the Secretary, Miss K. H. Russell, and the
Assistant Secretary, Miss C. Pitt, is heavier than it has been hitherto,
owing to certain duties previously carried out by the Public Assistance
Committee having devolved on the Care Committee, and it is.
probable that in future extra clerical help will be required. The
Hackney and Stoke Newington Committee has no funds at its
disposal for the assistance of patients, but acts by getting into
touch with other agencies which can give help, e.g, the Invalid
Childrens' Aid Association ; the Charity Organisation Society;
the United Services Fund ; the British Legion ; and the Red
Cross Society, to all of which we are greatly indebted.
Beyond the general work mentioned above, this Committee
has undertaken two activities designed to relieve the tedium of
existence for those who are either unfit for work or unable to
secure it. The first is a Handicrafts Class, which came into being
in April, 1929, and which till October, 1933, was instructed by a
teacher provided by the London County Council. Unfortunately
the number of patients attending fell below that required to obtain
the L.C.C. grant for a teacher, and it was for this reason that
closure became necessary in October. Several patients having
expressed their disappointment, the Committee have decided torestart
the class on an entirely voluntary basis early in 1934.
The organisation of the class, the buying of materials and the
disposal of the articles made has been undertaken by the Secretary
in addition to her other duties, and has made heavy demands on
her time ; and it is greatly to be hoped that some voluntary
worker with experience may come forward either to assist her, or
to relieve her entirely of the responsibility. The second activity
I would like to mention is the formation of a small circulating
library, books from which are taken to the houses of bedridden
patients.
The amount of clerical work involved in the successful running
of a tuberculosis dispensary, and the extensive and intricate