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69
Prevention of Tuberculosis.
The various preventive measures detailed in the Report for
1950 continued in subsequent years and were shared between the
Borough Council as Sanitary Authority, and as the Excepted
District for Education, and by the Health Area Subcommittee
administering the Part III Services under the National Health
Service Act.
Those services provided by the Borough Council included the
following:—
1. Rehousing on Medical Grounds. Pulmonary Tuberculosis
continued to constitute the only ground for priority, the criterion
being the infectivity of the patient, overcrowding on the standard
of the Housing Act, 1936, and the presence in the same dwelling
of young children or adolescents.
During 1953 the number of families rehoused was 306, which
included 14 families where there was a medical recommendation in
respect of tuberculosis, i.e., say 5 per cent.
2. "Mobile Meals." Mobile Meals, where necessary, were
provided by the "Meals on Wheels" service, organised by the
Old People's Welfare Committee.
3. Sanitary Inspection. Each case of tuberculosis is , on notification,
visited by the Sanitary Inspector as well as by the Tuberculosis
Health Visitor. Full enquiries are made as to the source of
infection and into any infection possibly caused by the sputum
positive patient. Close watch is maintained in regard to inter-connected
cases, e.g., multiple cases from the same place of employment.
As far as possible, each case is investigated on the same lines as a
case of major infectious disease.
4. Other Action. This includes the chest X-ray examination
on appointment of those employed in contact with groups of
children, e.g., school and nursing staff; B.C.G. vaccination of school
leavers under the Medical Research Council's Field Trials ; and of
child contacts at the clinics. These are referred to fully in the
Report of the Borough School Medical Officer.
Towards the end of the year, the Committee for Education
approved a scheme of 'jelly' testing school entrants as a method
of case finding.
At the Chest Clinic, 48 direct contacts were vaccinated with
B.C.G. during 1953.