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Facilities for convalescence, rehabilitation and training are provided by
the Middlesex County Council and the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board
The social side of the treatment and prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis
is dealth with by the Welfare Department of the Hounslow Chest Clinic.
B.C.G. Vaccination
As a result of the findings from the Tuberculosis Vaccinations Clinical
Trial, which took place from 1950 to 1960, that a degree of protection could be
afforded by the vaccination of school children with B.C. G. , a scheme was inaugurated
in the County of Middlesex for the tuberculin testing and, if necessary,
vaccination of school children at the age of 13. During 1961, 1,053
children were invited to take part in the scheme, 819 consents were received.
These children were tuberculin tested, and those found to be positive, indicating
a previous infection with tuberculosis of aminor or major degree at some period
in their lives, were referred to the Chest Clinic for thorough investigation,
184 positives were so referred B C Gc vaccination was carried out on 528
children, 7 contacts of cases of tuberculosis were referred to the Chest Clinic.
All tests and vaccinations during 1961 under this scheme were carried out
by Middlesex County Council staff
HOUSING CONDITIONS OF CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS
NOTIFIED DURING 1961
The housing conditions of 33 of the 47 cases of tuberculosis were found
to be as follows -
32 patients lived in sufficiently satisfactory housing accommodation, 14
in flats, 8 in houses, 10 in lodgings or furnished rooms.
One of the patients lived in overcrowded conditions. Three of them, including
the one in overcrowded conditions lived in old dilapidated property,
subject to dampness
The housing particulars of 14 cases were not obtainable either because of
removal of patients to other districts or because of resistance of patients to
home visiting
Eight new notifications came from homes already returning one or more cases
of tuberculosis,
15 cases were inward transfers from other districts and, therefore, had
not developed their illness while resident in Brentford and Chiswick.
Of the four families previously reported in 1960 as living in old property,
subject to dampness one had conditions improved by the carrying out of certain
repairs under notice from the Public Health Department.
Mass X ray
During 1961, the mobile Mass X-ray unit made short visits to two factories
in the Borough 931 people were X rayed and one case of active tuberculosis
was discovered. In addition two factories which are being visited regularly,
under a scheme of research into the occurrence of tuberculosis in factory
employees aged over 40, were visited twice One case of active tuberculosis
was found and one observation case.
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