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71
After History for five years of 263 New Gases of
Tuberculosis reported from all sources in 1931.
The close follow-up of cases of tuberculosis over a number
of years yields information of considerable practical importance.
An analysis, closely comparable with the Lancashire County
Council Report last year, of the cases to show how they fared
during the five years succeeding 1931, that is, to 1936, is here
reproduced in the form of a chart.
As in Lancashire the observation of each living case has been
carried to a period of five years after the date when first reported
to us as tuberculous. For instance, a case first coming to our
notice in May, 1931, has been followed up (if living and still
tuberculous) until May, 1936.
The following noteworthy features are presented:—
1. 71.1 percent. of the gross number of new tuberculous
cases coming to our knowledge in the County Borough of East
Ham during 1931 were dealt with under the tuberculosis scheme.
A further 6.0 percent. of the gross number related to cases in
which the statutory notification was cancelled, after a period of
observation.
2. The reasons why 22.9 percent. of the gross number did
not come directly under the Council's scheme were: (a) Cases
reported at death only, 5.0 percent. (b) cases in Mental Hospitals,
0.8 percent; (c) cases dying within several weeks (average
three weeks) of notification, 9.5 percent.; (d) cases removing
from the County Borough area several days after notification, 4.2
percent.; and (e) patients declining to have treatment under the
official Council scheme, 3.4 percent.
3. Of the 149 pulmonary cases, 79.8 percent. received one
or more periods of sanatorium or hospital treatment; of 38 nonpulmonary
cases, about nine-tenths received special treatment at
a hospital (e.g. orthopaedic and artificial light).
4. Of the net number (101 of definite pulmonary cases,
removals from area, etc., excluded), 61 died from tuberculosis
within the five years (34.5 percent. dying in the first year, 3,1.2
percent. in the second year, 14.7 percent. in the third, 13.1 percent.
in the fourth, and 6.5 percent. in the fifth).