View report page

114
The Care Committee were fortunate in 1928 in securing the services of Miss Whelon as
Hon. Secretary. Since her appointment, not only is the routine work ably and actively carried
out, but, thanks to her energy and initiative, a large number of necessitous patients have been
helped with clothing and other requisites in order to enable them to accept institutional treatment,
and also to assist them when discharged from various institutions.
The following particulars concerning the work of the Committee and the cases dealt
with have been supplied by Miss Whelon:—
Tuberculosis Care Committee.
Report for year 1934
For the year under review, the work of the Care Committee is really only concerned
with the first seven months of the year. In July last, the London County Council new
arrangements came into effect, and after the usual August recess the Committee held no
further meetings, owing to uncertainty as to the future scope of the work.
During this period 192 cases were considered by the Committee:—of these,
146 were assessed as free cases.
29 were assessed at sums varying from 1s. to £1.
17 were reviewed for various reasons.
Dental Cases. Three cases were assessed to make a contribution towards the cost of
their dentures, one was assessed as a free case, while three others received treatment at
Sanatoria, in these cases the matter being dealt with as part of the cost of treatment.
It may be of interest to give one or two brief examples of work done by the
Committee:—
Mrs. M. A patient in an advanced stage was granted the services of a Home Help
for three months, she then went away to try to recuperate, but had to return home on
account of her condition and passed away soon after.
L.D. This was a case of a friendless lad who had been abandoned by his parents in
infancy. Shortly after he started work he decided to tramp to London in an effort to find
his parents. He became ill owing to exposure and hardship and was sent to a Sanatorium
where he remained for a considerable time. He had no money, and was dependent upon
the kindness of his fellow patients for anything be might want. His Approved Society
was approached and agreed to pay him a small weekly sum as pocket money from his
accrued benefit. An outfit of clothing was also obtained for him, and he is now at
Papworth, from where he writes very happily.
Enquiries about insurance matters are of frequent occurrence, and while often the
absence of benefit is the result of insufficient stamps, it is usually possible to obtain
sympathetic consideration from the Societies.
A never-ending side of the work, too, is the provision of clothing for necessitous
patients and many calls were made on the Honorary Secretary's cupboard. She would
like to express the gratitude of the Care Committee to The Eleanor Palmer Charity for a
grant of money for the purchase of clothing and also to Queen Mary's London Needlework
Guild for a parcel of clothing sent at Christmas.
In conclusion, it should perhaps be mentioned that during the period August to
December, 81 cases were reported direct to the London County Council.
Hklen M. Whelon,
Hon. Secretary.