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1ll
Attendances.
During the period under review, 52 patients attended the Cancer Clinics, and a record has been
kept of how they obtained knowledge of the Clinic. It would appear that 22 attended on account
of the Press articles and advertisements; 19 attended on account of information obtained at the
Health Centres ; 8 on account of the posters placed in various parts of the district, while 3 had received
a copy of the Cancer leaflet from one or other of the social organisations in Willesden.
Enquiry was also made into the reasons why those 52 patients attended the Cancer Clinics.
The reasons given may be summarised as follows:—
(1) In 27 cases—hope of relief after failure of, or dissatisfaction with, home treatment,
private doctor or Hospital.
(2) In 18 cases—condition was thought to be of little or no importance, or patients
afraid to have fears verified, until the importance of early advice and treatment was brought
home to them by the articles or advertisements in the local press or other Cancer publicity.
(3) In 5 cases—directly referred by Councillors, Health Centres or Health Visitors.
(4) In 1 case—inability to pay the private doctor's fee.
(5) In 1 case—could not spare the time to attend the Hospital so that a breast cancer
previously removed could be kept under observation.
Classification of Patients and Results.
A record of the family health history and personal health history and all incidents leading
up to the present illness is taken by the Medical Officer in attendance at the Centre. The patient
is also submitted to a complete physical examination. In some cases the condition was such that
the Medical Officer considered it desirable to refer the patient to Hospital for further diagnosis and
advice. 30 out of the 52 patients were so referred and the results of these references are as follows:—
6 Had operation.
3 Are awaiting operation.
9 Received local or medicinal treatment.
8 Are still under observation.
4 Have been discharged as not cases of Cancer.
30
Of the remaining 22 cases, 6 are still under observation at the Cancer Clinic and 16 have been
discharged after varying periods of observation as not cases of Cancer and advised to seek treatment
elsewhere.
From the above table it will be observed that 18 cases were found to be suffering from
conditions requiring operation or treatment. One of these 18 cases was a definite case of Cancer,
still happily in a sufficiently early stage to enable operation to be performed with good hopes of cure.
Of the remaining 17 cases, 11 were found to be suffering from conditions known to be forerunners
of Cancer, while 6 were suffering from conditions the relationships of which to Cancer have not yet
been established.
It may therefore be said that the Cancer Clinics in the course of the first six months' work
have been the means of securing treatment for 12 patients suffering from cancerous or pre-cancerous
conditions at a stage of the disease when there is every reason to believe that a cure will be effected
or the danger removed. The after history of these patients will be watched by the Clinic with great
care.
It will also be observed that the Clinic was able to discharge 20 cases during the six months
as definitely not suffering from Cancer. The relief which these persons experienced when told that
their condition was not Cancer was very great indeed. It was always expressed in words but the
relief from anxiety shown by the patient was more expressive than the words uttered and quite a
pleasure to behold.
Cost.
The total sum allowed in the estimates for 1929 for the six months' period was £300. The
actual cost of the Cancer Clinic during this period has been as follows:—
£ s. d.
1. Salaries—
Assistant Medical Officer 50 0 0
Health Nurse 20 0 0
Clerical assistance 64 8
2. Hospital Charges—
Further diagnosis 3 12 0