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The progressive increase in these figures is, to a large extent,
associated with improved facilities and to the advances of diagnosis
and treatment of this disease.
Dr. Philip Ellman, Consultant to the Chest Clinic, reports
on the work of the Clinic as follows:—
Co-operation with General Hospitals:
This continues as outlined in previous years, and the general
medical aspect of our patients is never lost sight of, in case there
should be some extra-pulmonary or non-tuberculous lesion which
may re-act unfavourably, whether it be from the nutritional or
any other point of view. For example, only recently a patient
whose pulmonary condition has responded in a remarkable way to
treatment, had a serious setback through the development of a
duodenal ulcer. Primary concentration on the latter, through
close co-operation with a general hospital, soon healed the ulcer,
with a favourable effect on the patient's pulmonary condition from
the nutritional point of view.
Co-operation with Specialised Hospitals:
(Thoracic Surgical Units at London Hospitals).
With the increasing facilities which have very fortunately
been more available for us in the new Thoracic Surgical Unit at
the London Hospital, our problem of dealing with the increasing
numbers of cases suitable for thoracic surgery is now being
solved. This Unit is under the able supervision of Mr. Tudor
Edwards, whose courtesy and special attention to our patients is
greatly appreciated. Patients also have the advantage in that
the Unit is nearer their own homes. Many more of these cases
are able to be dealt with because of the close co-operation of the
Unit with our Harts Sanatorium, where much of the necessary
surgical after-care treatment can be carried out under the most
favourable conditions. In consequence the short stay at the
London Hospital enables them to deal with a larger number of
our cases, to our mutual advantage.