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immunisation with B.C.G. for the age groups on the threshold of
the years of greatest susceptibility, should result in a considerable
elimination in the disease as the years go by. The work of control
of Tuberculosis is a joint job of the Regional Hospital Board and
the Local Authority. The closer the liaison between them the
better will be the results. Most of the liaison so far achieved is the
result of efforts of individual doctors and nurses in the service,
and is maintained despite the existing organisation rather than
with its help. It could be better.
In February, 1954, the Borough Education Officer informed
the Medical Officer of Health that a Headmistress had reported
that two children from different families had been admitted to
hospital suffering from Tuberculosis, and that the children concerned
were from the same class in her school. Dr. Herington
visited the school and arrangements were made for examination of
all the children in the class, subject to parental consent. The full
co-operation of the parents was obtained and all except four of
the children attended for examination, two being absent on account
of sickness and two already being under observation for chest conditions.
Of the two who were absent ill, one was found to have
pulmonary Tuberculosis and the other was found to be free from
tubercular disease on her return to school. Four teachers associated
with the class were also examined and found to be satisfactory. Dr.
Herington subsequently visited the school and ascertained that all
the teaching staff had been investigated recently for Tuberculosis
with satisfactory results.
The history of these five children including the two who had
been under observation for years is instructive. Taking these two
first—one was a contact of a parent suffering from Tuberculosis and
was first referred as such seven years previously. She was quite
healthy. The second had recovered from Tuberculosis of the spine
and is now well. Of the other three, one child had been notified
by the Chest Physician as having pulmonary Tuberculosis two
years previously and had undergone treatment which necessitated
absence from school for 80 days. She became ill again in January,
1954, and was admitted to hospital for treatment three weeks later.
The second child was admitted to hospital, after investigation by
the Chest Physician, in August, 1953. The third, after an illness
lasting twelve days was sent home on her return to school as she
was thought to be ill; one month later she was notified as suffering
from pulmonary Tuberculosis.
On the face of it, there would appear to have been a connection
between all these cases, but in all except one case investigation
by the Sanitary Inspectors brought to light the fact that these
children had been for years close contacts of other cases in their
families.