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39
Boarding out
of contacts
and supply of
surgical
appliances,
etc.
respectively. The Council has arranged to use 25 of the beds. In addition it has
adopted a scheme for absorption in its Parks Department as trainees of not more
than five youths a year. The first year of the working of the scheme had not been
completed at the close of the year now under review.
With the co-operation of the Invalid Children's Aid Association the scheme for
boarding out children living in contact with cases of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis
has been continued, and, in a few cases, where it was not possible to make
other arrangements, children have been provided for in order to enable their mothers
to accept institutional treatment. The benefit derived by the children from being
boarded out in the country and the relief thereby afforded to the home is much
appreciated ; at the same time the opposition of many parents to parting with their
children considerably limits the scope of the scheme. During 1929,186 applications
were received, and 170 children accepted, the remaining 16 being withdrawn or
unsuitable. At the end of the year 70 children were being maintained under this
scheme. Beds were provided in institutions for such of those tuberculous children
as required medical supervision and whose homes were unfavourable for their
return after residential treatment under the Tuberculosis Scheme. Seventeen
children were dealt with in this way during 1929. Arrangements were also made for
providing surgical appliances for children after discharge from institutional treatment,
and for supplying clothing in certain cases to children sent away under the Tuberculosis
and Contact Schemes. Seventy-five children were provided with surgical
appliances and 72 children with clothing during 1929.
Report on the work of the Bacteriological Laboratory.
The following is a summary of the examinations conducted during 1929.
I. Throat swabbings.—(a) For diphtheria bacilli. Cultures from 5,550 throat
and nose swabbings, with a small number from cases of ear discharge, (including
426 re-examinations), from 5,132 individuals, chiefly school children, yielded 707
positive results for the presence of the diphtheria bacillus, including 206 re-examinations,
i.e., net 501, or 9.7 per cent. of all those originally swabbed were found to be
carrying morphological diphtheria bacilli, including four cases of ear discharge, in
which the diphtheria bacillus was obtained. In eight chronic carriers the diphtheria
bacillus was isolated for virulence test, and was found virulent in four.
(b) For streptococcus haemolyticus.—35 cultures from the throats of 24 maternity
nurses were examined and the streptococcus was isolated from five of the nurses.
II. Cerebrospinal fluids.—103 specimens were examined, including 48 from
Fulham Hospital, 32 from St. James' Hospital (Balham), 17 from Highgate Hospital,
and 6 from St. Pancras Hospital. From the results of examination or final diagnosis
of the cases, the specimens of fluid are grouped under the following headings:—
(i) Meningitis (27).—(a) Tuberculous (17). Diagnosis made by tubercle bacilli
being found in 9, or by character of the lymphocyte cell content in 6 specimens.
In two fluids the changes did not suggest tuberculous meningitis, but the condition
was found at post mortem examination, (b) Meningococcal (10). Diagnosis made
by obtaining the meningococcus in films from cell deposit and in culture in 4; in
films only in 6. (c) Pneumococcal (3). (d) Streptococcal (4) Staphylococcal (1)
secondary to otitis media, (e) Causal organism not determined in (2).
(ii) Encephalitis (8) including one case following vaccination, in which the
patient recovered.
(iii) Gross cerebral lesions (14)—(a) Haemorrhage (7). (b) Thrombosis (3).
(c) Tumour (3). (d) Hydrocephalus (1).
(iv) General paralysis.—Cerebral neurosyphilis (5).
(v) Spinal disease (10). Spinal cord—Sclerosis (2). Neurosyphilis (4).
Vertebrae and joints (2). Neurasthenia (2).
(vi) Epilepsy (2). Mental deficiency (1).