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TUBERCULOSIS.
185 notifications were received - 169 pulmonary and 16 nonpulmonary.
96 deaths occurred - 86 respiratory and 10 other forms.
TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARIES.
To. of attendances at the Dispensary 4121
" " consultations with the medical practitioners:
Personal 201
Other 568
" visits by Tuberculosis Officers to homes 323
" specimens of sputum examined (83 positive) 468
" X-Ray examinations (films 1213, screening 423) 1636
" children boarded out 15
" " visits by Tuberculosis Visitors to homes 4253
Artificial pneumo-thorax treatment was given by the Tuberculosis
Officer to 32 patients, necessitating 436 re fills
Artificial pneumo-thorax treatment was given by hospitals to
8 patients necessitating 115 refills.
Fin sen Light treatment wis given to 3 patients necessitating
193 attendances.
No. of patients recommended for Sanatorium treatment 263
No, of contacts examined 564
EXTRA NOURISHMENT to tuberculous patients : 289 grants were made
to 83 patients, each grant being for a period of 28 days.
TUBERCULOSIS FINANCIAL ALLOWANCES.
" Total Cases considered during the year 561
(Of the above 76 were new cases)
Total Cases accepted during the year 502
No. of patients in receipt of. allowances
at the end of the year 59
MASS RADIOGRAPHY.
During the year, the Ministry of Health's scheme for Mass
Radiography was commenced. Only a small part of the total workers
in Stepney were X-rayed under the Scheme. The work was carried
out by the L.C.C. in co-operation with the Borough Council's
Tuberculosis Officer. Complete figures of analyses are not, however,
available 'from the London County Council as the first phase
of the scheme will not be completed until 1945. The approximate
number of persons X-rayed in 1944 was 300. A large majority of
these were factory workers with a small percentage of office workers
from the factories concerned. The Borough Council employees have
not yet been included.
TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE.
In spite of the Government's Scheme for financial assistance
for certain patients during treatment, there are still numbers of
patients to whom these benefits do not yet apply, and the Care
Committee have had increasing demands on their services and the
voluntary fund.
In families burdened with the disability of tuberculosis many
kinds of economic distress arise; extra warm clothing is needed, a
separate bed for the patient, fares for him to be visited whilst at
sanatorium, and in the case of the poorest patients, a weekly pocket
money allowance for the small expenses which must be met even in a
sanatorium.
All these extra items occur at a time when the patient's
earning capacity has temporarily ceased, and it is then that the
Tuberculosis Care Committee can show its sympathy in a practical
way. Clothes, fares and pocket money again constituted the chief
requirements of patients and their families applying for assistance,
and over £100 was expended on these items alone.
The response to the annual appeal for funds through the medium
of the Christmas Seal Sale shows that the Committee's work is
appreciated, this year's result being the highest yet, £200 being
raised at a time when many demands are being made for war-time
charities. The Care Committee greatly appreciate the response which
is made locally for the tuberculosis patients in Stepney.
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