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20
TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY.
The work of the Tuberculosis Dispensary is becoming more
important each year. Its primary object is to get into touch
with all cases of Tuberculosis arising in the Borough—to investigate
the home conditions and arrange for the examination of relatives
and friends residing in close contact with the sufferers. In
this way early cases of the disease may be detected and other
individuals presenting suspicious signs kept under careful observation.
The Dispensary should not be entirely for the general treatment
of the disease, but a consultative centre, where advice is
given, arrangements made for the future welfare, treatment and
observation of the patient.
With Harts Sanatorium a combined scheme is possible, the:
results of which appear most favourable. The advantage to the
patient is that after observation at the Dispensary he can be sent
to the Sanatorium, where he is under the supervision of the same
medical officer. Upon discharge he again attends the Dispensary
and thus there is no break in the continuity of his treatment. This
ideal arrangement presents great advantages over those of other
Boroughs where there is no direct connection between the Dispensary
and Sanatorium.
A large number of the younger patients at present can be
classified as pre-tubercular; these are seen at the Dispensary on a
separate day at stated intervals.
Recently, owing to the more stringent requirements of the
Ministry of Pensions the work dealing with ex-service men has
been greatly increased. Also, possibly on account of the medical
inspection of school children and the greater interest in Tuberculosis
generally, the attendances at the Dispensary have been
considerably greater.
The real value to' the community at large lies in the extent
to which the Dispensary deals with those suspicious cases, the
majority of which have been in contact with persons diagnosed as
suffering from the complaint.
Its object would, therefore, be defeated should the early and
suspected case of disease be ignored owing to stress of other work.