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77
REPORT BY Dr. C. K. CULLEN, TUBERCULOSIS OFFICER
During the year 1937, there was an increase of 20 per cent. in the number of new
cases of tuberculosis notified in the borough of Shoreditch and an increase of 25 per
cent. in the new cases coming under supervision at the Dispensary. It should be noted
however that the figures for the previous year were unusually low. The increase in
1937 was rather higher proportionately in non-pulmonary than in pulmonary cases.
The number of contacts attending for examination was slightly smaller, in spite
of constant efforts to secure their attendance, but the number of contacts followed up
by periodical examination was greater. Three of the five contacts subsequently
notified as tuberculous might have been missed but for this following-up.
The appointment of Tuberculosis Officers to act as honorary consultants in the
County Council's general hospitals has been extended for another year, and I have
continued to visit the tuberculosis wards of St. Leonard's Hospital fortnightly during
the year.
SPECIAL FACILITIES
Radiological work : When the opinion of an expert radiologist is desirable,
pulmonary cases are referred to the Royal Chest Hospital, and the reports given by
Dr. Peter Kerley continue to be of great value and assistance. Considerable use has
been made during the year of the facilities for X-ray work provided by the County
Council at St. Leonard's Hospital : the films taken there are interpreted by the
Tuberculosis Officer and in any case of doubt the patient is referred to Dr. Kerley
afterwards.
Non-pulmonary cases are usually under the care and supervision of a surgeon
at a general hospital but any X-ray examination of these cases that may be required
by the Dispensary is usually carried out either at St. Leonard's Hospital or the
Royal Northern Hospital and reported on by the Hospital radiologist.
Since the introduction of the special facilities for X-ray examination at the
County Council's general hospitals I have referred an increasing number of non_
pulmonary cases for radiological investigation of the pulmonary condition. In an
appreciable proportion of these cases I have found either an old or an active lesion
of the lungs which had previously escaped notice. I am of the opinion that in all
so-called " surgical" cases a routine radiological investigation into their pulmonary
condition should be carried out.
During the past year the following X-ray examinations were made at the request
of the Tuberculosis Officer:—199 at the Royal Chest Hospital, 178 at St. Leonard's
Hospital, and 1 at the Royal Northern Hospital. In addition, a number of examinations
of contacts were carried out under the auspices of the Prophit Trust (see below).