View report page

In consequence of the long wait for admission many
patients have had to be treated in their own homes, using
bed rest, some collapse measures (e.g., artificial pneunothorax
or pneumoperitoneum) and streptomycin
injections or therapeutic measures. Much help has been
given by the general practitioners in the area and also by
the home nursing service. The home help service has
often enabled the mother of a family to remain in bed at
home so as to receive treatment.
The Chest Clinic now has its own X-ray department
and a great deal of work is undertaken in X-raying the
chests of patients for general practitioners. In all 7,489
patients were X-rayed from March to December, 1949."
Food Poisoning:
41 cases of food poisoning were notified spread throughout
the year as follows:—
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Quarter. Total.
2 29 10 41
Amongst these were two minor outbreaks, one in which
10 persons were affected, the causal agent being Ox Tongue
and the organisms isolated being Staphylococci. A bacteriological
investigation was carried out amongst the food handlers
who prepared the food with negative results. The duration of
the illness was short, an average of two days, and there were
no fatal cases.
In the second outbreak, the food suspected was fish; 4
persons were affected, the symptoms were mild and all the
cases had recovered in two days Unfortunately, it was
impossible to carry out any bacteriological investigations as
the notifications of the occurrence of the disease were received
too late to be of value and none of the suspected food was
available for investigation.
In addition to these, 27 single cases were notified but these
were unconnected with other cases and the origin of the
attack was a matter of conjecture, and in a number of cases
12