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Admissions. During the year, 221 cases were admitted—
136 males and 85 females. The average length of stay was 25
weeks. The percentage of bed cases was 55.3. The cases
admitted were of the usual type. The patients could generally be
divided into the following classes:—-
(a) The chronic fibroid type of case which generally deteriorates
at intervals. These patients gladly return to conditions which
they realise will build them up again.
(b) The stage II. class of patients who for economic reasons
remained at work too long, did not consult a doctor, or refused to
avail themselves in the first instance of treatment when it was
offered to them.
(c) Early cases, or cases with a limited lesion, and a little
constitutional disturbance, the first symptom of which was often
an early haemoptysis. These patients constitute the smaller
proportion. The average patient who has had an initial
haemoptysis will readily go to an institution, while a limited
number will place health before everything and seek early diagnosis
and treatment.
Treatment. Treatment first and foremost consists of fresh
air, rest, graduated exercise, and good food constituting a strictly
balanced diet, which it is often difficult to obtain in many homes.
The lack of a satisfactory diet is often one of the pre-disposing
causes of the disease.
Drugs are used as accessories to treatment; guaiacol,
calcium, and iron have been found beneficial.
Intra-muscular injections of gold were tried in 25 cases,
several cases having two courses. The results are certainly encouraging.
While in some cases there has been no apparent change,
taking everything into consideration it is reasonable to conclude
that others have improved with carefully regulated doses. We
have had no bad results.
Artificial pneumothorax. Though many advanced cases
have been admitted, few have been found suitable for this form
of treatment. In all 10 successful inductions were carried out,
and 192 refills were done. Unilateral cases are undoubtedly the
most suitable, and the more limited the disease the more successful
the result is likely to be. As a large proportion of these cases do
well with conservative treatment, it does not seem justifiable to
attempt an induction before a reasonable period of observation.
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