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several circulars to V.D. clinics and hostels. During the year 1933 only two girls
availed themselves of these facilities. The total number of days in residence was 259.
On 1st July, 1930, the Venereal Diseases clinic at the London hospital, one
of the institutions in the London and Home Counties Scheme, was taken over by
the Council as an all-day clinic, and is now known as the London County Council
(Whitechapel) clinic. It remains open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every week-day,
and provision for intermediate treatment is available also on Sundays and
Bank Holidays. The premises are rented from the London hospital, but the
staff is appointed and the clinic maintained entirely by the Council.
Under the directorship of Dr. T. Anwyl Davies, assisted by a loyal and efficient
staff, the clinic has been an unqualified success. During the first six months the clinic
was in use, 1,527 new patients and 76,183 attendances were registered, whilst for the
year 1932, the number of new patients was 4,013 and the attendances totalled 228,433.
The year 1933 showed a further increase, the new patients numbering 4,465 and attendances
301,398. Of the new patients during 1933, 61 per cent, of the male and 58
per cent, of the female venereal cases were infections of less than one year's duration.
The number of pathological examinations made at the clinic for the year 1933
was 82,327, an increase of 16,709 on the previous year's total. Of the 82,327 examinations,
10,068 were made for private practitioners, for whose convenience arrangements
are in force for results of certain tests to be communicated by telephone within three
hours of the delivery of specimens.
Facilities for the study of venereal diseases are available for medical students
and post-graduates, demonstrations being held weekly.
Council's tuberculosis scheme.
The arrangements in connection with the Council's tuberculosis scheme, as
outlined in my Annual Report for 1932, were continued during 1933, but were
modified in three respects, viz., (i) the position of the Council's general hospitals in
the campaign against tuberculosis; (ii) the appointment of the tuberculosis officers
of metropolitan borough tuberculosis dispensaries as honorary tuberculosis consultants
in the Council's general hospitals; and (iii) the arrangements for giving
effect to the regulations of the Council as to contributions of patients towards the
cost of their treatment for tuberculosis.
With regard to the position of the general hospitals, the Council decided that,
as from 1st April, 1933, all residential treatment for tuberculosis should be provided
under the Council's tuberculosis scheme. This modification has facilitated improved
grading of the whole of the accommodation for the treatment of tuberculosis at the
disposal of the Council and the easy transfer of patients between various types of
institutions according to the medical needs of the patients. Generally speaking,
acute, emergency and bedridden cases and a small proportion of ambulant chronic
advanced patients are retained in general hospitals in London, selected voluntary
London hospitals and certain of the Council's special hospitals are used for
" observation " purposes, and patients of other types are accommodated in the
Council's special tuberculosis hospitals and sanatoria and in voluntary sanatoria in
the country.
For the most part, voluntary hospitals and sanatoria (except Brompton hospital,
in which beds are specially reserved for observation purposes) are used to supplement
the Council's accommodation and to provide for the needs of patients requiring
treatment in institutions under special climatic conditions, or to cater for particular
types of case, such as (a) those desiring special religious atmosphere; (b) those
suitable for treatment at sanatoria attached to industrial colonies (e.g., Papworth
and Preston Hall) with a view to settlement in the colony; (c) youths suitable for
admission to Burrow Hill colony, where training in clerical or gardening work is
provided ; and (d) chronic ambulant cases requiring only general medical supervision,
who can be accommodated in institutions which provide specially for this type of
case, and make correspondingly low rates of charge.
As to the second modification, tuberculosis officers have access to general
hospitals, both (a) in the capacity of honorary tuberculosis consultants ; and (b) for
The
London
Connty
Council
(Whitechapel)
clinic.