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including the provision of a routine pathological service for patients
of local general medical practitioners, a service which is keenly appreciated
and fully utilised, especially for haematological investigations.
Your medical staff submit hundreds of specimens to this laboratory
annually for diagnostic purposes and in the control and prevention
of infectious disease. For instance, food handlers are examined
carefully for infectious disease on appointment and prior to resuming
duty after certain illnesses.
Regular blood examinations are an essential part of ante-natal
care and are carried out at this laboratory. Invaluable assistance was
rendered me by the Staff of this laboratory at the time of our
diphtheria outbreak.
CHEST CLINIC
The following statistics relate to 1958: —
Male Female Total
No. of primary notifications:
Pulmonary 20 14 34
Non pulmonary 2 2 4
No. of cases transferred from elsewhere:
Pulmonary 10 17
Non pulmonary — 1 1
Total 32 34 66
Cases remaining on the register=624 (583 households).
It is pleasing to report that the incidence of tuberculosis disease
continues to decline steadily. Nevertheless, many new cases of the
disease occur each year and a great deal of careful work is done to
trace and examine persons who have been in close contact with an
infectious case.
The Chest Physician, Dr. J. T. Paterson, holds his clinic at
Barking Hospital where modern X-ray equipment is installed
Modern medication is very effective and in the vast majority of cases
rapidly arrests the disease. Pneumothorax or surgical method are
rarely needed nowadays in the treatment of this disease, and the
diagnosis need no longer strike terror to the heart of the sufferer
Two members of your nursing staff are seconded to this clinic
to assist at clinic sessions and home visiting.
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