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The Health Visitors are instructed to make periodical visits and to report on their
condition and the manner in which they are used.
Disinfection of Room*.—This procedure is always advised on the admission of a case to
Hospital or Sanatorium, on change of residence and after the death of a patient.
It is carried out by the Council's staff free of charge. During the past year disinfection
was carried out in 108 cases.
Home Visits and Inquiries.
This work is performed by two special officers, and the number of visits paid by each
during the year is shewn in the following table:—
Miss Camman 3776
„ Holland 3503
Total 7279
In connection with Tuberculosis, the housing conditions of the family are important.
Any defects discovered on inspection are reported, and, if any degree of overcrowding exists,
special efforts are made to secure more adequate accommodation.
St. Pancras Tuberculosis Care Committee.
The Care Committee was constituted in February, 1923, as a voluntary committee in
accordance with the wishes of the Ministry of Health, and consists of representatives of various
Social Organisations, the Public Assistance Committee, and ten members of the Borough
Council, working in connection with the Tuberculosis Dispensary Scheme.
The functions of this Committee were indicated in a circular issued by the Ministry
of Health as follows: — " The primary duty of the Committee should be to consider the
economic position of the family of every patient suffering from tuberculosis as soon as he
comes within the purview of the dispensary scheme, and to render such advice and assistance as
the circumstances of the case dictate, with a view to enabling the family to adjust their
circumstances to the new conditions, to maintain their economic independence, and to derive
the fullest possible advantage from the medical treatment prescribed. Certain kinds of
assistance may be needed in particular cases, viz., additional food, change of air, clothing,
better home conditions, more suitable occupation; the provision of financial or other assistance,
when necessary, for the family of a patient who is under treatment in a residential
institution, or temporarily for a patient and his family 011 his return home from such an
institution. Where the necessity for financial assistance arises, it can be better provided
through the agency of existing charitable or public organisations than from a fund administered
by the Care Committee, and in such cases it should be the function of the Care Committee
to bring the family into touch with the appropriate organisatio"
The Borough Council at their meeting in July were informed that the London County
Council had agreed that no contribution towards the cost of the residential treatment of
tuberculosis (except in respect of dentures provided by the County Council during treatment)
or towards the cost of the boarding out of children under the powers conferred by the County
of London (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930, be asked for from patients or persons legally
responsible for them.
This made considerable alteration in the work of the Care Committee and the future
method of procedure was still under consideration at the end of the year covered by this
report.