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the poor chap who is doing his best not to infect others with his complaint is
ostracised. There is no reason why a man should not return to his original
employment if the conditions under which he works are suitable. The idea that it
is an absolute necessity for him to work out of doors has too much stress laid upon
it; he is far more likely to be able to earn a wage at the job he has been brought
up to since leaving school, than he is at something new and with which he is
unfamiliar.
The question of a man who has been under treatment becoming a 100 per cent.
unit, depends greatly on the stage of the disease he was in at the commencement of
his treatment; therefore his degree of utility varies on leaving sanatorium.
Mr. Ford, of motor car fame, can find employment for all disabled men in his
works even if they can only do a few hours work per diem. It seems a pity that
the big firms in our country cannot do likewise and so prevent these men from
becoming more or less demoralised from want of some employment to take their
minds off themselves and their complaint when after treatment they feel they would
still go on improving in general health if only they had something to occupy their
minds and their hands."
Bacteriological Diagnosis of Consumption.—The number of specimens of
expectoration sent by medical men for bacteriological examination, from cases in
which there was some doubt as to the diagnosis, was 413 as against 498 in 1922. Of
these, 122 were found to contain the bacillus of consumption, while the remainder
were free.
Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis.—The great bulk of the total notifications—34
as against 24 in 1922—in the case of this form of tuberculosis came from institutions
where the patients were undergoing treatment. Visits were paid to the homes and,
where necessary, advice with regard to the obtaining of treatment was offered.
Particulars as to the parts affected by the disease will be found in the table on
page 61.