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62
In the early part of the year the Tuberculosis Exhibition of the
National Association for the Prevention of Consumption visited the Borough
with much success. The attendance was good and much interest was
displayed.
In addition to the ordinary attendance, parties of elder school children
visited the Exhibition in charge of their teachers. Some of these children
sent up to me later excellent written compositions on the subject of the
Exhibition, which showed much intelligence and great interest in the teaching
of the Exhibition.
The help given by the St. Pancras Dispensary in examining contacts
who are not in connection with any other medical institution or practitioner
has been of great value. When visiting we are extremely careful always
to refer any patient, contact, or suspect to the medical adviser to whom he would
naturally apply without our intervention. We never detach patients from
their own doctor. Consequently the only contacts of whom we are able to
keep record at present are those who, being unable to pay for private advice
and not being connected with any other Institution, are sent to the St. Pancras
Dispensary.
Of these we have reports on sixty-eight. Of these twenty-seven were
either very probably or certainly affected, and forty-one others were suffering
from asthma, bronchitis, rickets, adenoids, debility, or otherwise in need of
medical care. We could have sent many more contacts for examination if it
had been possible to arrange for an evening consultation at a time when
working men and boys are able to attend.
The St. Pancras Dispensary does this work without receiving any fee
or any kind of financial advantage to the Institution, and we are much indebted
for this help which is indispensable for the purposes of our scheme.
There is still the difficulty that many persons in the early stages of the
disease are unwilling to admit that they are or may be phthisical. If it were
possible to arrange for the treatment of such cases in Institutions which did
not proclaim themselves as homes for consumptives, but rather styled themselves
convalescent homes, it might be possible to capture earlier cases. A11
evil result of incautious propaganda work is that an excessive terror of the
disease may be fostered, with the result that patients fear to admit the
possibility of their being affected lest they should suffer the social and
industrial penalties of the infectious patient.
We have attempted some early preventive work among young people by
warning those about to begin industrial work as to the dangers and the
desirable precautions in the case of the particular trade chosen.
We have felt the need for further provision of open-air school accommodation
for probable cases among children, and we should also be glad to see
something of the nature of a Day Open-Air Convalescent Home for certain
children. The admirable Day Nursery established by Miss Rendel is a
valuable object lesson in fresh-air methods, but is not specially intended for
delicate children.
We have continued to urge the use of the provision made by the Guardians
for the treatment of consumptives. It is to be regretted that it is not possible