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The extent of the control that the Dispensary exercises over
the tuberculous population can be judged by the relationship between
the number of deaths of patients on the register and the
number occurring in the town. There were 327 deaths returned
as occurring from all forms of this disease during the five years
1916, 17, 18, 19, and 20 (246 Pulmonary and 81 other forms), 124
of these had been seen, hence 124/327, or a little over one-third of
the cases are dealt with at the local centre, the remainder stay
under the supervision of their own doctor, or attach themselves to
one or other of the London Hospitals. It might seem possible
by comparing these two groups to estimate the value of the treatment
received in each case. The comparison fails, because we
find that of the 200 odd cases which died and which did not utilise
the local facilities in over 20, either the notification was received
after death, or the interval was very short.
Considering those who are still alive, approximately 60 per
cent, of the home treated class have still some working capacity,
whilst about 70 per cent, of the dispensary class are similarly
situated. Little reliance can be placed on the figures as the
standards may not be identical, owing to the grades of the populations
from which the majority of the groups are drawn.