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of a year's experience of the scheme it would appear that the value of these men's
work does not exceed three quarters of that of an ordinary park labourer. Authority
has been given for the number of tuberculous men employed in the Parks to be
increased to twelve, but future appointments will be limited to employees and exemployees
of the Council.
Tuberculosis
Care Committees.
The successful working of the Tuberculosis Scheme is enhanced by the unobtrusive,
but efficient, work of the Tuberculosis Care Committees and their
voluntary workers.
The value of the work is often not realised as it is rarely reported officially.
The difficulties of tuberculous persons, great as they are, would be much greater
were it not for the valuable work of the Care Committees in enlisting on their behalf
the assistance of all available official and voluntary agencies.
The sympathetic friendship of the Care Committee Visitors and their personal
interest in the problems and distress of a family are welcomed and frequently many
visits to the home are necessary to solve these difficulties.
Handicraft class for dispensary patients.—As a result of the initiative of the
Lewisham Tuberculosis Care Committee a handicraft class has been held at the
dispensary which is attended by about eighteen patients of both sexes who have been
specially selected by the Tuberculosis Officer. The class has been approved by the
Council's Education Committee under the arrangements for conducting classes in
connection with clubs and social agencies and the salary of the instructress is paid
by the Council. No cost falls on the dispensary service. The handicraft at present
practised is the making of leather goods. The scheme is not intended primarily to
provide patients with a means of earning but rather to give them a new interest
and to afford them some occupation. There is evidence that the class is serving a
useful purpose and is psychologically advantageous to the treatment of the patients.
Boarding-out
of contact
cases.
In April, 1925, a scheme was put into operation for removing children from
heavily-infected and overcrowded homes in which a member of the family was
suffering from advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. Up to 31st December, 1926, 688
applications were received, and 324 children boarded out. The remainder were withdrawn
by their parents or were found to be unsuitable.
Most of the homes from which the children are drawn are economically much
below the average as a result of the illness in the family, and many of the children
are badly dressed and cared for. In addition to the great physical benefit obtained
for the children by removing them from close association with advanced consumptives,
there is a great gain, morally and socially, derived from their residence, even
though it be but temporary, in clean, healthy homes in the country. It is not possible
to make a definite statement of the physical benefit gained by the children, as they
are not ailing when sent away, but there is no doubt that their general health improves
and that their resistance to infection is increased.
Tuberculosis,
residential
treatment.
There has been a steady increase in the number of applications for the
residential treatment of adults under the Council's Tuberculosis Scheme during the
last few years. This may be attributed in part to the activities of the tuberculosis
dispensary service and in part also to the pressure for the provision of residential
accommodation other than in Poor Law infirmaries for advanced cases. On the
other hand, as was to be expected, the number of new cases accepted by the Ministry of
Pensions for the first time as suffering from tuberculosis due to war service is a steadily
declining figure. The following table indicates the figures for the last five years :-
Applications for first period of treatment Applications for further treatment. Total Civilian Civilian applications.
ex-Service. civilian' male Female. ex-Service. civiliam male female.
1922 415 1,597 1,338 801 .347 397 4,896
1923 373 1,730 1,561 748 381 330 5,123
1924 363 1,823 1,705 714 560 469 5.634
1925 381 1,929 1,829 598 605 527 5,869
1926 128 2,262 1,864 478 693 582 6.007