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93
TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY.
Nine consultations are held in each week—two in the morning, five in the afternoon,
and two in the evening.
The new premises provided by the Borough Council for use as a Tuberculosis
Dispensary were opened in February, 1932. They are situated on the entrance floor of Barnes
House, 9-15, Camden Road, and comprise a waiting room, two consulting rooms, laboratory,
rooms for the nurse, health visitors, and clerical assistant, dressing rooms for the patients,
and the necessary sanitary accommodation. The building is well adapted for the purpose and
enables the work to be carried out under conditions better alike for both patients and staff.
The X-ray work which is necessary in connection with patients suffering or suspected
to be suffering from Tuberculosis is carried out at the University College Hospital. During
the year consideration was given to the cost of this work, and as a result of negotiations with
the hospital authorities the fees were reduced from 7s. 6d. per film and 7s. 6d. for a report
to 7s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. respectively. The alteration came in force in March.
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 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 Is. 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 total number of cases dealt with at the Dispensary shows no marked change
from the previous year, though a somewhat higher proportion were found to be tuberculous,
and there is a slight increase in the number on the register at the end of the year. Only
15 per cent. of the contacts of new cases attended, and only 3 of the contacts examined
proved to be suffering from tuberculosis. The increased facilities for institutional treatment
under the London County Council scheme for Public Assistance are reflected in the following
figures.
Altogether 394 applications for institutional treatment in respect of 361 patients were
made during the year. Twenty-eight of these were for admission to Highgate Hospital and
of the remaining 366, 250 were for sanatorium treatment, 78 for hospital treatment, and
38 for observation for diagnosis. Of these, 60 were admitted to Public Assistance Hospitals
other than Highgate, 29 to sanatoria under the Public Assistance scheme and 259 to sanatoria
and hospitals under the Tuberculosis scheme. Eleven applications only were referred back
for treatment in the local hospital and 7 applications were withdrawn by patients.
The number of attendances for artificial pneumothorax refills, for which the Council
accepted financial responsibility, shows an increase, having risen from 112 to 348. Though
this figure, for reasons given in the last report, may be expected to vary considerably from
year to year, there are indications that the number of patients to whom this treatment is given
is increasing. The results, which are at present being investigated by the London County
Council, appear to be satisfactory.