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The demand made upon the Council for beds for children at the commencement of the Scheme
in 1914, was greater for pulmonary than for non-pulmonary cases. This was probably due in some
measure to the difficulty of securing sanatorium accommodation, many of the cases having to be limited
to treatment in hospital followed by short periods in ordinary convalescent institutions. Since
increased accommodation has become available there has been a steady growth in the surgical
cases referred to the Council. On the other hand the number of pulmonary cases has declined. To
some extent this is due to the accommodation available in open air day schools. For the purpose
of comparison the same number of applications for treatment of children were examined for the years
1918 and 1921. The result shows that in 1918, the percentage of these applications were 68.6 per cent,
pulmonary cases and 31.4 per cent, non-pulmonary cases. In 1921, the percentages were 56.7 per cent,
and 43.3 per cent, respectively for pulmonary and non-pulmonary cases. The percentages of cases
treated in the same periods were 72-4 per cent, pulmonary and 27.6 per cent, non-pulmonary in
1918, and 62.1 per cent, pulmonary and 37'9 per cent, non-pulmonary in 1921. The numbers
receiving treatment on the 1st January, 1918, were 270 pulmonary and 107 non-pulmonary ; and on
the 1st January, 1921, the numbers were 366 pulmonary and 338 non-pulmonary.
The Council continued the scheme of co-operation with the Invalid Children's Aid Association
under which, in return for a grant, the Association provides convalescent treatment for children and
also assists in the provision of surgical appliances for children who had received treatment in residential
institutions under the tuberculosis scheme. The sum allowed during the year for this service was
£2,250, which included a special grant of £150 to enable the Association to provide convalescence for
children of necessitous parents, who, by reason of lack of employment, were unable to pay the usual
contributions expected by the Association.
During 1921 the Association received 379 applications for convalescent treatment and 355 children
were sent away with assistance from the Council's grant. The remaining 24 were found to be ineligible.
In addition to the above, 43 tuberculous children were sent away, the cost being met by the parents,
so that no help was required from the grant-in-aid ; 27 children were supplied with surgical appliances
with the help of the Council's grant.
At the commencement of the year 1921, the Council had in use 704 beds for children, of which
278 were in voluntary institutions, and the remainder in Metropolitan Asylums Board institutions. The
number under treatment on 31st December, 1921, was 665. On 1st January, 1921, 371 boys and 333 girls
were under treatment, and 394 boys and 416 girls were sent away during the year. The total number
treated during the year 1921, was therefore 1,514, as compared with 1,522 in 1920. In addition 355
children had the advantage of convalescence through the Invalid Children's Aid Association with
financial assistance from the Council.
The Council has provided five open-air schools for children notified under the Tuberculosis
Regulations, 1912, as definitely suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs, or from tubercular glands without
discharging sinuses. Kensal House (Paddington), Stormont House (Hackney), Springwell House
(Battersea). the Elizabethan School (Fulham). and drove Hill-road School (Camberwell)
Residential
treatment of
tuberculous
children.
Open-air
schools for
tubercu'ous
children.

* These were not discharge!, but transferred to the suspense roll.
61742 D 2