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74
Organisation, United Services Fund, British Legion, and the Red
Cross Society, to all of which we are greatly indebted.
This Dispensary is empowered to recommend children with
non-infectious tuberculosis (other than that of the bones and joints),
or those with suspected tuberculosis, for admission to the Stormont
House Open-air School on Hackney Downs. Here scholars are
given regulated rest and exercise, and taught in open-air shelters
except when the weather renders it impossible. They are under the
daily supervision of a nurse specially experienced in tuberculosis
and their medical charge is in the care of Dr. H. Tylford Howell,
who visits the school once a week for purposes of inspection and
examination. The results obtained are strikingly good, and a
particularly satisfactory feature is the successful manner in which
scholars are subsequently placed in employment suitable to their
physical and educational attainments.
A reference to the figures in the tables appended at the end of
this report, which show that 865 letters and other communications
have been sent out during the year, will indicate that the clerical
work of the department is heavy. Moreover, the complicated
nature of the statistical returns required by the Ministry of Health
involve an amount of record keeping only to be appreciated by
those who have had personal experience of it, and I am glad to
have an opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness to
Miss E. M. Russell, the Secretary-Dispenser, for the efficient and
conscientious way in which she has invariably performed all her
duties. In her absence on holiday, we were again fortunate in
having Miss W. M. Fellowes to act as locum tenens.
The Tuberculosis Officer has the privilege of referring patients
to the general and special departments of the Metropolitan Hospital
for investigation, and when it is desirable, for treatment. While
I have to thank all the members of the staff for their ready and
courteous assistance, it is natural that the Radiological Department
is that to which most cases have been sent. It is laid down by the
Ministry of Health that only those persons should be X-Rayed
in whom it is not possible otherwise to make a definite diagnosis.