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The premises in which the work is carried out are not very satisfactory, the accommodation
is inadequate in extent, and the noise caused by traffic adds to the difficulties of the
work.
The new Tuberculosis Dispensary in the Camden Road is now in course of erection.
Artificial Light Treatment.
Provision as part of Tuberculosis Dispensary Service.
The experimental arrangements which had been made by the London County Council
for the provision of the above-mentioned form of treatment as part of the Tuberculosis
Dispensary Service at certain approved hospitals and other centres in London expired on March
31st, 1929.
It was decided that the arrangements should not be renewed, but the County Council
state that they have decided to continue the existing arrangements for the treatment of lupus
at the London Hospital on the basis of 5s. an attendance for the treatment by Finsen lamp,
and 1s. an attendance for general ultra violet light treatment, and at the St. Thomas's
Hospital on the basis of payment of 1s. an attendance for treatment by Kromeyer lamp, and
to extend these arrangements to include any hospital providing the requisite facilities and
approved for the purpose. Particulars of such hospitals will be communicated in due course.
Report on the Work carried out at the Tuberculosis Dispensary.
The following report on the work of the Dispensary has been furnished by the
Tuberculosis Officer, Dr. Back:—
" The annual returns show that the Dispensary dealt with fewer patients during 1930
than during the previous year. Nineteen less new cases and 52 less contacts were examined
200 less attendances were made and 18 less cases remained on the register at the end of the
year. These reductions, which, excepting the contacts, amount only to 5 per cent. or less of
the previous year's totals, must be regarded as being due mainly to a reduction in the number
of cases of tuberculosis occurring in the Borough. The number of living cases notified during
1930 shows a fall of 52 (12 per cent. of the number recorded in 1929), and the number of cases
recommended for sanatorium treatment, either from the Dispensary or from hospitals, shows a
corresponding fall.
Altogether 299 recommendations were made. Fifteen of these were subsequently withdrawn
on account of death, leaving the district or personal reasons, and 53, a rather larger
proportion than usual, were not accepted for treatment under the London County Council
scheme for tuberculosis. Four out of the 53 rejected cases were given sanatorium treatment
under the scheme for public assistance, and the remainder, for the most part cases which could
not be looked after adequately at home, but were not likely to improve at a sanatorium, were
offered admission to the L.C.C.'s General Hospitals through the local Relieving Officer. This
procedure is not attractive to many patients and such offers are frequently refused.
The number of contacts who attend for examination still shows room for improvement.
During 1929 only 20 per cent., and during 1930 only 16 per cent. attended. The Health
Visitors increased their number of visits by 400, and leaflets and other propaganda have been
distributed at the Dispensary and in patients' homes, but it is obvious that further efforts
must be made.
The number of attendances for the Finsen light treatment at the London Hospital, for
which the Council make provision, shows a considerable reduction, owing to the fact that
several patients who had attended regularly for long periods were discharged as cured at the
end of 1929, and no new cases requiring this treatment have come to the Dispensary since.
For similar reasons the number of attendances for artificial pneumothorax refills also show a
slight reduction.
In spite of the fall in the number of cases of tuberculosis notified, the number of
patients sent to the Dispensary by medical practitioners for investigation or treatment shows