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39
In addition to the foregoing arrangements for residential treatment of tuberculous
children the Council has established six open-air day schools with accommodation
for 565 children suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis or from tuberculous
glands with no open wounds who do not appear to require treatment in residential
institutions. The work of these schools is dealt with in the school medical officer's
report.
Tuberculosis
care
committees.
The valuable work of the tuberculosis care committees in arranging assistance
for tuberculous patients and their families cannot be summarised statistically, but
the effectiveness of the anti-tuberculosis scheme is in no small measure due
to their co-operation. The scope of activity of the committees has widened considerably
since the inception of the scheme and the quality of the work, which involves
close co-operation with the various social agencies and public officials in the respective
boroughs, is excellent.
Assistance to patients in obtaining employment following residential treatment
is a feature of the activities of the tuberculosis care committees.
Employment.
In view of the importance of this question a scheme was adopted in 1928 which
provides for the training for nursing and domestic service of selected patients at
King George V. Sanatorium after a period of treatment and special observation at
Pinewood Sanatorium. Nine posts for nurses and nine for domestic servants are
reserved for trainees who complete satisfactorily the course of training. Up to the
end of the past year 24 patients have been sent to King George V. Sanatorium for
training (including 11 previously accepted). Of the total, 17 have been employed on
the nursing staff and 7 on the domestic staff.
Breakdown in health requiring return to sanatorium has occurred in 3 cases.
Three of the trainees left at their own wish before, and 3 after, the completion of
the probationary period of six months under the scheme. Five others, although
medically fit, were considered unsuitable for further employment. The remaining
10 of the trainees were still in the service of the institution at the end of 1930.
The aggregate service of the 24 trainees has been 14 years and 5 months with
a total duration of sickness, including illnesses from any cause, of 159 days, 71 of
which were attributable to the three cases that relapsed.
Boarding out
of contacts,
and supply
of surgicAl
appliances,
etc.
With the co-operation of the Invalid Children s Aid Association the scheme
for the boarding out of 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 residential treatment. The applications received during 1930
were 208, and 172 children were accepted, the remaining 36 being withdrawn or
unsuitable. At the end of the year 89 children were being maintained under this
scheme. The cost of these arrangements is borne by the Council.
Arrangements were also made through the Invalid Children's Aid Association
for providing children with surgical appliances after discharge from institutional
treatment, and in 65 cases apparatus was so supplied. Formerly the cost of these
instruments was borne from the balance of a fund known as the " Tuberculosis
Contributions Fund " into which contributions made by parents towards the cost of
their children's residential treatment under the Council's anti-tuberculosis scheme
were paid prior to 1st April, 1925. Payments into this separate account are no longer
made, as since 1st April, 1925, the contributions of patients towards the cost of their
maintenance are paid into the County Fund.
Handicraft
classes.
Among the activities of the tuberculosis care committees in several boroughs is
included the organisation of the dispensary service handicraft classes, mainly for
those who are unfit for ordinary employment. The funds for such classes are provided
from voluntary sources, but it is the practice of the Council to provide and pay for
the services of an instructor. Generally the goods made by the patients are either
sold by them privately or by means of sales of work organised by the voluntary