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77
It has been the practice to remove from the register the
names of persons who were found to be showing no evidence
of the disease, had been free from symptoms for a long period
and who expressed a wish that that should be done. Such
procedure had been carried out in a limited number of cases
but until the end of 1924 there was no official sanction for it.
At the end of that year the Ministry of Health signified that
"denotification" was desirable under certain provisos which
the Minister laid down. By this means the record of the
prevalence of the disease in the Borough has been brought up
to date.
Tuberculosis Dispensary.
The record of the year's work of the Dispensary is as
follows:—
New Patients.
During the year 605 persons attended for examination for
the first time. Of these 215 were under the age of fifteen and
390 were adults. Males and females attended in almost equal
numbers, viz., 314 and 291.
Of the total, 247 were referred to the Dispensary by local
Practitioners for the purpose of consultation, while 193 were
"contacts" of persons suffering with Tuberculosis and 44
were discharged ex-Service men who attended for reports on
the instruction of the Ministry of Pensions.
Diagnosis.
Found to have Pulmonary Tuberculosis 155
Found to have other forms of Tuberculosis 34
Showing no evidence of Tuberculosis 416
Patients from Previous Years.
Six hundred and fifty-two persons who had attended the
Dispensary in previous years presented themselves during
1925. Of these, 430 were adults, and included 107 ex-Service
men, while 222 were children. Some of these made regular
visits for the purpose of treatment. The majority, however,
came for examination or for advice only, at varying intervals
of time.
Total Attendances and Examinations.
The total attendances of persons for the purpose of examination,
observation or treatment, numbered 3,462, and
physical examinations were carried out in 1,684 instances,
i.e., in 48.5 per cent. of the total attendances. The number
of insured persons under domiciliary treatment with Dispensary
supervision on 31st December is estimated at 396.