View report page

109
where tubercle bacilli have been injected, fatal tuberculosis supervened.
In Croydon more and more attention is being paid to the
examination of contacts of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis,
especially to the contacts of infectious cases, and an endeavour is
made to keep contacts of school age under special observation at
school; and after leaving school supervision at the Dispensary is
carried out for some 4 or 5 years, as it has been found that about
15% of contacts develop active disease within a period of 3 years
from the detection of the original case.
To carry out a complete scheme for routine tuberculin examination
of infants and school children, with subsequent repeated X-ray
examination of infected children, would necessitate a considerable
increase in the medical staff and equipment of the public health
department.
A tuberculosis scheme, however complete, will break down
unless the co-operation of the public and of the general medical
practitioners, is obtained. The public can help by availing themselves,
without delay, of the facilities afforded. The assistance
practitioners can render from the preventive aspect is in three
main ways:—
(a) To secure the proper disposal of the sputum.
(b) To see that an infective patient has a bedroom to himself,
or, if this is impossible, at least a bed to himself, and to
emphasise the need for free ventilation.
(c) To advise an infective patient not to handle milk or other
foodstuffs or to have the intimate care of young children.
Two hundred and sixty-two cases of Pulmonary tuberculosis
and 54 of Non-Pulmonary tuberculosis were notified on Form A
(primary notifications); of these 144 males and 118 females were
pulmonary cases, 27 males and 27 females non-pulmonary; 27
cases were notified from Poor Law Institutions and 222 cases were
notified on Form C from Sanatoria. In addition 50 pulmonary
cases and 21 non-pulmonary came to our notice as new cases otherwise
than by notification on form A or B. In 1926 the notifications
numbered 244 Pulmonary and 140 Non-Pulmonary; in 1927 the
figures were 231 and 97 respectively; in 1928, 314 pulmonary and
75 non-pulmonary, and in 1929 250 pulmonary and 68 non-pulmonary.