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59
The treatment includes extractions, fillings, and dentures
where necessary.
Full use is made of these valuable facilities, often with considerable
benefit to the patient on the principle that " a healthy
mouth favours a healthy body."
AFTER-CARE.
After-Care Committee.
The After-Care Committee has continued to do excellent
work during the year. Its value in assisting necessitous cases
makes the scheme more effective.
Forty-one necessitous patients have been provided with
clothing and bedding. The provision of bedding has enabled the
patients concerned to sleep alone, thus acting as a preventive
measure to the healthy members of the family.
To raise funds a Flag Day, which realised £29 18s., was
held in October, and three Dances showed a profit of £3 12s. 5d.
Contribution boxes at the Harts Sanatorium and Tuberculosis
and Chest Clinic realised £3 19s. 3d. and £1 3s. 3d. respectively.
Handicraft Class.
It is hoped in the new Clinic to have an active class meeting
regularly for those unfit for ordinary emplovment, and that the
Committee will provide for the services of an Instructor, no
success having been made in securing a voluntary instructor. The
psychological effect in rendering some of these patients even
partially self-supporting cannot help but react favourably on their
physical condition.
It is hoped also in the new Clinic to investigate, with the aid
of a psychiatric social worker, the psychological factor in the
origin and treatment of certain selected cases. The importance
of the psychological factor in treatment was referred to in the
1932 report. We know how necessary it is during a lengthy illness
like tuberculosis to keep mind and energy alive and fresh
and to divert the patient's thoughts from the illness to useful
things. The weeks and months that have to be sacrificed to