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Early notification is of great importance from both the preventive
and curative sides of Tuberculosis work. It is unfortunate
that in some cases its onset is so insidious that it passes unnoticed
until considerable damage has been done; whilst in others, the
patient in an endeavour to remain at work, and in the hope that
the trouble will pass off, ignores symptoms until after the stage
of curability has passed. The periodic medical examination of the
whole population, as is now applied to public Elementary School
children would, in the case of this one disease alone, probably be
an economic asset.
In 30.5% notification preceded death by less than six months.
For Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis the proportion of non-notified
fatal cases to the total deaths, from this form of the disease was
50%. In other words, out of a total of 22 deaths, 11 were not
notified during life; only 2 of these 11 cases died at home.
Of the total deaths from Tuberculosis of all forms, 20 or 12%,
were not notified prior to death, compared with 16.6% in 1931.