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The County of London (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930, enable the County
Council to maintain, or arrange for the maintenance, otherwise than in their homes,
of children living in London in houses where, owing to overcrowding or otherwise,
they are, in the opinion of the County Medical Officer, in danger of being infected
with tuberculosis ; or children whose parent or parents are receiving institutional
treatment for tuberculosis and for whose care adequate arrangements cannot otherwise
be made. During the year six children were thus dealt with on the recommendation
of the Tuberculosis Officer.
Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925, provide for the
compulsory discontinuance of employment of persons engaged in the treatment
or handling of milk who are suffering from tuberculosis. It was not necessary to
take any such action during the year.
Every milk vendor in the Borough is periodically reminded that the Tuberculosis
Officer is willing to examine, free of charge, all employees or candidates for employment
in the milk trade. No persons submitted themselves for examination.
The Work of the Dispensaries.—The Council's main dispensary is situated at
Maxey Road, Plumstead, and the branch dispensary at 11, Carnecke Gardens,
Eltham. The general supervision of anti-tuberculosis work in the Borough is
however controlled from Maxey Road. During the year plans were approved
for a new Dispensary at Eltham, as part of a new Health Centre which will be built
in Sherard Road. It is hoped that the transfer will take place towards the end
of 1939.
The Tuberculosis Officer or one of the assistant medical officers is in attendance
at Maxey Road every weekday, morning and afternoon, except Thursday, when an
evening session replaces the afternoon one to meet the needs of those patients who
are at work. Eight sessions in all are held for men, women and children. The
branch dispensary is open on three half days a week-—Monday afternoons for men,
and Wednesday and Friday mornings for women and children.
The total number of attendances at the dispensaries during 1938 was 5,415.
Of the 248 persons notified during the year 213 attended the dispensaries; that is
85.8 per cent. The corresponding percentages for 1937, 1936 and 1935 were 79.7,
73.5 and 77.2 respectively. Table No. 54 shows the work of the dispensaries during
the year, and in accordance with the Ministry of Health instructions the figures
are shown for the borough as a whole and not for individual dispensaries.
Home Visiting of Tuberculous Cases.—Every notified case is visited by one
of the Council's tuberculosis visitors unless the family doctor specially requests
that this be not done. In the home she gives general and particular advice. She
does what she can to ensure that the family make the best of their circumstances.
She tells how infection is spread and what should be done to limit this risk. She
endeavours to get all home contacts to come to the dispensary for examination.