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he is at a stage non-infectious to others. The examination of the
contacts of known cases of the disease is thus a most important
aspect of the work. The time of the Tuberculosis Officer is already
so fully occupied that no large expansion in the number of contacts
dealt with by him can be anticipated. To meet the difficulty the
approval of the Ministry of Health was obtained towards the end
of the year to the use of a portion of the time of the Deputy Medical
Officer of Health for the examination of such contacts as cannot be
dealt with at the ordinary sessions of the dispensary. Two additional
sessions are now held each week for the purpose of examining
these contacts. The contacts are picked out by the district
Health Visitors in the course of their visits to the homes of notified
patients. All with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis are urged
by the Tuberculosis Officer to seek medical advice, and examination
at the dispensary is offered if so desired.
(d) Provision of Foodstuffs, Medicine, and Apparatus.
Milk is provided in necessitous cases. In the case of school
children milk is provided by the Education Committee at school
when required, and the continued provision is regulated by periodic
re-examination of the children.
Medicine to a small extent, cod liver oil and malt in larger
amounl are issued chiefly to children and to a few uninsured adultsInsured
patients and pensioners receive such drugs as are necessary
through their panel doctors. The cost price is charged for drugs
issued from the dispensary in all except necessitous cases.
(e) Home Nursing.
One nurse is entirely engaged in the nursing at home of bedridden
patients requiring special assistance and supervision, including
the keeping of temperature records for diagnostic purposes,
and the obtaining of sputum when required.
Such patients received a total of 1,499 visits during the year for
the purpose of home-nursing.
The nurse in question had also during the greater part of the
year the duty of paying the primary visit to patients on receipt of
notification of the disease. This duty has now been transferred to
the district Health Visitors, who also pay the subsequent visits to
the patients,