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40
Reference to the last column shows that the death-rate from all forms of
tuberculosis was lower in 1913 than in any former year except 1910.
Work Done.
As in former years the work in connection with tuberculosis has been done
by the female staff under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health. Miss
Bibby early in the year found herself unable to cope with the large amount of
work which the Regulations entailed, and as a consequence, Miss Mary Giles
was engaged as a full-time temporary visitor from 30th December, 1912, to
30th May, 1913, and again from 14th July onwards.
The work which has been done has consisted mainly in the visiting of
notified cases. At these visits a case paper is filled up for each case, and
advice is given as to the means that can be adopted by the patients to assist
their recovery, and by the families of the patients to avoid contracting the
disease. Where there are contacts whose health is not all that can be desired,
or where the patient appears not to be under adequate medical attention the
contacts or patients are advised to seek medical advice. In such cases much
use has been made of the St. Pancras Tuberculosis Dispensary, Oakley Square,
who have willingly examined any persons sent to them by the Department.
Care has been taken not to trespass upon the preserves of private practitioners,
and no complaints have been received on this score.
Practically all cases notified during the year have been visited, and in the
latter part of the year a good deal of systematic re-visiting has been done.
Disinfection of bedding and bedrooms has been carried out on the advice of the
tuberculosis visitors, and on application after the death or removal of patients,
and in other cases.
Where insanitary conditions have been found they have been reported by the
tuberculosis visitors to the District Sanitary Inspectors, and dealt with in due
course.
Much good work has been done by the tuberculosis visitors in putting
necessitous patients and families into touch with various charitable and other
agencies. They have also been in frequent attendance at the St. Pancras
Tuberculosis Dispensary to see cases who have been treated there.
The actual work done by the Lady Inspector and Visitor is shown below : —
No. of visits to homes of notified cases—
(a) First visits 1703
(b) Subsequent visits 1027
No. of cases in which disinfection was carried out 110
Attendances of inspector or visitor at St. Pancras Dispensary 112
Other visits made for various purposes 181
No. of contacts and suspects examined at the St. Pancras
Dispensary at the instance of the inspector or visitor 196†
* This figure is greater than the total number of persons visited, because in many instances more
than one visit was paid to a patient's home in the course of the original inquiry. A number of
patients were visited for the first time in 1913, who had been notified in 1912.
f This figure does not include those cases who were given cards to be examined at the St. Pancras
Dispensary but did not arrive there; nor the numerous cases who were examined at otherInstitutions
or by their private doctors at the instance of the inspector or visitor.