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158 Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Examination of Contacts.
The examination of contacts is a most important part of the
work at the Dispensaries. In this way Tuberculosis can be detected
at an early stage in persons who are continuously exposed to infection.
The disease is much more amenable to treatment in the
early stages than in the late stages.
A further advantage is the opportunity the examination affords,
of impressing on the patients, or their parents, the necessity of
cleanliness and fresh air.
Table LXXX. is a similar one to Table LXXIX., but deals
with contacts only.
A total of 541 contacts were examined. This total is included
in the 936 cases examined during the year, so that of these 936 cases,
541 were contacts.
The contacts of most of the tuberculous patients attending
the Dispensaries were examined, as well as those of a number of
notified cases, which have not yet attended the Dispensaries, but are
undergoing treatment elsewhere.
Of 541 contacts 54 or 9.98 per cent., were found to be tuberculous,
and 487 non-tuberculous. The 54 tuberculous contacts were
not aware that they were suffering from Tuberculosis, until they
were examined at the Dispensaries.
363 out of 541 were under the age of 15. Of these 28 or 774
per cent. were tuberculous, of 178 age 15 and upwards, 26 or 14.6
per cent. were tuberculous.
The sexes were equally represented up to the age of 15, while
there were 141 females to 37 males aged 15 and upwards.
From the above figures the following facts apply both to the
total cases and to the contacts:—