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T.B. AFTER CARE COMMITTEE
During 1939 £440 were spent from the After Care Funds for the benefit of
the tuberculosis patients and their families.
157 patients received financial aid, bed and bedding were supplied in
18 cases, clothing in 57 cases, extra nourishment in 47 cases and surgical
instruments in 29 cases. Fares were allowed to enable relations to visit
certain patients receiving treatment in institutions away from Croydon.
In two cases grants were made towards the cost of removal to a Council
House when the previous accommodation was unsuitable.
Assistance was given with insurances where these were in danger of lapsing
owing to the patients inability to keep up the payments.
The number of patients assisted shows an increase on previous years;
particularly marked is the increasing number of grants made for extra
nourishment both for the patients and the contact members of the family.
The resources of the fund were severely taxed at the time of the evacuation
from Mayday and Cheam and certain London Hospital on the outbreak of war.
Within a few hours 77 patients were discharged to their homes. In some cases
bed and bedding had to be supplied at short notice as the sleeping accomodation
was unsuitable and a large number of grants had to be made for extra
nourishment. Fares ware provided to enable patients to return to their
homos in certain instances of patients who hadpreviously been living in
lodgings or working in domestic service in Croydon. Three such patients
wore sent home to Ireland on medical advice.
The help which the Committee was able to render at that time of stress
did much to alleviate the very natural anxiety of those patients whose
treatment was necessarily interrupted. Fortunately many of these patients
have since then been able to resume their treatment.
Once again thanks are due to the many outside Societies for help given
to the tuberculous patients and to the Public Assistance Committee and
Unemployment Assistance Board for their co-operation in allowing special
grants for extra nourishment.
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