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145
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Treatment of Tuberculous Patients.
As will be seen from Table LXXVIII. all forms of Tuberculosis
are treated at the dispensaries, but as many cases of non-pulmonary
form require surgical or hospital treatment, they are unsuitable
for dispensary treatment. Such patients are referred to the proper
Institution and if possible attend the dispensaries for examination
periodically.
With regard to pulmonary Tuberculosis, the class of case
varies very much. A considerable number of patients were in an
advanced stage when first seen, the chance of benefit arising from
any form of treatment being very slight. A number were quite
hopeless from the onset, the disease ending fatally at an early date.
There were, however, a number of early cases which have derived
considerable benefit from treatment. The fullest possible use has
been made of methods of treatment other than dispensary treatment
and many cases have received Institutional treatment.
A number of insured patients have benefitted from Sanatorium
treatment, though in many instances the period of stay is too short.
The recent arrangements for treating non-insured children in
Sanatoria promises to produce good results. Advanced cases too
bad to attend dispensaries have been treated at home by their own
medical practitioners.
Table LXXIX. shows the disposal of all the cases of Tuberculosis
since the opening of the dispensaries in 1913. The patients
are divided into those receiving no treatment and those under
treatment.