View report page

Page 28
this is difficult to achieve owing to the fact that several units may
serve the area of one local health authority, whilst one unit may well
cover an area including parts of several local health authorities.
The memorandum continued: "There is much to be gained by
selective use of radiography for groups which show some evidence of
special risk, rather than for the re-examination of large groups of
employed persons in conditions that facilitate the recording of
exceptionally large totals of persons radiographed".
It seems to me unfortunate that this particular memorandum was
stated to be for the information of Medical Officers of Health and
Chest Physicians only. Here is a point which should be driven home
with the directors of the X-ray units, for it is my impression that
only too often their main concern is to achieve and maintain impressive
statistics of examinations carried out.
Early in the year we received a visit from the mass X-ray unit—
our first since 1951. This unit worked mainly from the Baths Hall
although we did manage to arrange sessions for school children and
teachers at several other centres in order to reduce unnecessary
travelling. The results of this survey, kindly supplied by the Director
of No. 6a Mass X-ray Unit, can be summarized as follows:—
Total Number X-rayed
Male Female Total
Miniature films 4,084 4,014 8,098
Recall for large film 178 164 342
Did not attend for large film 5 7 12
Did not attend for investigation 1 - 1
Findings
Total number of active pulmonary tuberculosis
cases 4 2 6
Total number of inactive pulmonary tuberculosis
cases 34 28 62
Other abnormalities-heart 10 24 34
-lungs 10 9 19
From this you will see that only 6 cases of active tuberculosis
were discovered, a rate of 0.74 cases per 1,000, which is well below
the national figure of 3.37.
I felt that it was my duty to make certain that these 6 cases picked
up had been notified to me, that they were receiving necessary treatment,
that contacts had been examined and that attempts were being
made to trace the source of infection. Despite a voluminous corres
pondence with the Director of the Unit he felt unable to give me
the information requested regarding these patients, owing to strict
instructions from the Ministry of Health regarding secrecy.