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74
Miss Miller (C.O.S.), P. Rockliff, Esq. (Tabernacle House), Miss Tucker (East End
Workers amongst the Poor), Miss Wragge (Maurice Hostel), and the Hon. Secretary,
Miss Sutton Sharpe.
In the name "Tuberculosis Care Committee" the work of this Committee is
shown. It is the "care" of all Tuberculous persons and the "care" of their
families.
There are many troubles that come to those stricken with tuberculosis and to
the families where one member has this disease.
Clothes present a problem to patients going away to Sanatoria, and many pairs
of pyjamas are handed over to despairing mothers who do not know how to get such
expensive things for the son going away "to get better." Sometimes the Committee
has to consider the whole outfit for some man or woman whose money has all gone
in the long dragging months of ill health, then the Committee puts the patient in
touch with the Society or Institution able to help.
Work must be changed, patients must be got to airier surroundings for their
employment. This is not easy but with the kind assistance of other workers, suitable
jobs have been found by this Committee and living made more possible for some.
In various families we find some debt dragging down the mother. A debt she
has incurred sometimes without her husband's knowledge. In one instance it took
much questioning and many friendly talks to find out about the millstone. But when
all was clear the mother was persuaded to tell her husband, then the moneylender
was paid off and the mother now looking much happier, cheerfully came up week
after week to pay back to the Committee half of the debt by degrees; the other
half was a gift.
A boy of 17 was working in an underground cellar for less than 15s. a week.
Undersized, lame and sick and ill, living in lodgings because his father had turned
him out—" such a nuisance because he was lame!" The Committee got him away
to one of the L.C.C. Training Colonies, the Maurice Hostel gave him a complete new
outfit and now the C.O.S. has been battling for many months to get his insurance
on a sound footing; and the boy writes regularly.
The Committee has had very loyal workers this year, two members of Toc H
League of Women Helpers have come with utmost regularity every week and done
clerical work. This regular filing away of papers and orderly working is of the
utmost value to the Secretary. Also there have been helpers in visiting.
Co-operation with the Borough Council and the C.O.S., I.C.A.A., Red Cross,
and the close touch between this Committee and many other activities has made for
quickness and ease in dealing with cases.
Handicraft Centre.
This Committee at Easter opened a class for the Tuberculous patients who were
sufficiently well to require occupation though not fit for regular work. The L.C.C.
provides an excellent teacher, the Royal Chest Hospital has lent a room and sufficient
funds have been collected for materials and tools; and now the class is going well
and proving of service to those wearied with the idle life enforced by their illness