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104
Deaths
Tuberculosis caused the death of one male and two female local
residents.
Prevention
A mobile mass x-ray unit continued to operate in the Borough
throughout the year. In December it became necessary to change its
location in Wealdstone from the Bridge School, Station Road to its new
site in the car park at Grant Road. It operates on the second and fourth
Thursday mornings of each month from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. Here any
person over 14 years of age can attend, without appointment or medical
note and without the payment of a fee. In addition a permanent mass
x-ray unit is available at the Central Middlesex Hospital, Park Royal,
N.W.10 and is open from 9.0 a.m. to 5.0 p.m., Mondays to Fridays and
9 a.m. to 12 midday on Saturdays. The chest clinics provide ready facilities
for the examination of all patients referred on suspicion of some chest
trouble by hospital departments and also by their own doctors.
A vital factor in the control of the disease is the routine examination
and re-examination of contacts, especially family contacts of known
cases. This has been undertaken by the Chest Clinic and here one would
like to record appreciation and grateful thanks to Dr. Grenville-Mathers
and Dr. Trenchard, for their co-operation, help and advice which has
been given so willingly at all times.
The school medical and nursing staff continue to play their part in
controlling this infection and whenever a case is notified, whether pupil,
teacher or other member of staff, the question of the need for an epidemiological
investigation is discussed with the staff of the appropriate Chest
Clinic.
During the year one school child was reported as suffering from
primary tuberculosis. There was no risk to her fellow pupils and consequently
epidemiological investigations were not considered necessary.
Besides the routine B.C.G. vaccination offered to all 13 year old
school children, the Chest Clinics have also tested 490 contacts of actual
cases. Before anyone is vaccinated a simple skin test is carried out which
determines within a few days whether the additional protection is required
217 persons were found to need vaccination. The skin test also indicated
that the remaining 273 required further investigation which was carried
by the Chest Clinics.
Laboratory Facilities
The examination of clinical material of public health significance is
carried out by the Public Health Laboratory, Neasden Hospital, Brentfield