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and Middlesex Hospitals. Several cases, in fact nearly every case dealt with,
comes before the Committee more than once; first, when forms have been sent
for sanatorium treatment, and secondly for acceptance or refusal by L.C.C.,
and on return from treatment. If the patient is the bread-winner, the family or
the wife may need some help while he is away. According as he is Ex-Service or
civilian the appropriate representative is asked to deal with the circumstances.
During this year 38 patients or their families have been brought to the notice of
the United Services Fund representative, who has helped financially, with clothing
or by getting the children away either for convalescent treatment or having them
looked after permanently. This figure of 38 does not, of course, refer to other
years, and it is probable that more than double this number are on the United
Services Fund's books, and are being helped in some way from the funds. A great
amount of individual work and visiting is entailed for the representative of the
fund.
" When patients need a few weeks' convalescence, work, or a little financial
help in some way, they are referred to the Charity Organisation Society, which
takes the matter in hand. Children requiring more than a few weeks' convalescence
are referred to the Invalid Children's Aid Association or the Board of
Guardians. It is very difficult to apportion to each the exact number dealt with
because of the unavoidable overlapping. During the year the Committee, in
co-operation with the Charity Organisation Society, have been the means of
returning a whole family to Switzerland, for which, as can be imagined, much
detail had to be arranged. Some families are not easy to deal with, and the more
that is done for them the more they expect, few attempting to help themselves,
preferring to blame the Dispensary or the Committee if anything goes wrong. As
an example may be quoted the case of a family in which, in spite of treatment
and every possible assistance, one of the children died. The other members were
examined, the eldest girl submitted to X-ray examination, the boys admitted to
the Open-Air School, one of them after sanatorium treatment. The eldest girl
found to be suffering was given sanatorium treatment and returned fit and well
and able to do housework. This, however, she was not allowed to do by her
parents, who kept her at home. She steadily lost weight, until after much persuasion
the girl herself took a situation as maid. With the regular work, meals,
sleep, etc., she began to gain weight, to feel and look ever so much better. But
again the mother wanted her at home, so she left work, and now treatment has to
be started all over a second time. The same sort of thing occurred in a surgical
case, for whom every possible form of treatment was provided, at the close of
which he was given an instrument to wear constantly for a time. The parents,
however, did not trouble to see that it was worn, and when enquiries were made
it was found that the apparatus was so badly broken that extensive repairs or an
entirely new instrument was needed. It is cases of the above description that
give the Hon. Secretary such a vast amount of trouble and double her work,
which is further increased since most patients who are granted treatment by the
London County Council have to be assessed for payment, and this means visiting
the homes in order to obtain details of the approximate income of the family. A
proper idea of the work carried out by the Care Committee it is difficult to give,
and to say that apart from those who come before the Committee from former
years, over 100 cases have been dealt with during 19'26, can convey very little.
Very safely, however, it may be claimed that the Care Committee is a live factoi
in this scheme."
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 730, as against 689 in 1925.
Of these, 108 were found to contain the bacillus of consumption, while the
remainder were free.
Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis.—The great bulk of the total notifications—30,
as against 36 in 1925—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.