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After Care and Rehabilitation
Referred to D.R.O. for work or training 39
Referred for Home Help Service 11
Occupational Therapy 3
Provision of clothes and bedding 52
(free or from grants)
Financial Aid
National Assistance Board 88
Voluntary Funds 136
Other Funds 13
(c) B.C.G.Vaccination. In accordance with the Council's proposals under Section 28
of the National Health Service Act, arrangements were completed in June whereby B.C.G.
Vaccination can be offered to any susceptible child who may be in contact with a case of
tuberculosis. Under these arrangements, when a child is discovered to be exposed to tuberculous
infection, the home is visited by a Tuberculosis Visitor and a tuberculin test is performed.
If this Is negative showing that the child has not already been infected with tuberculosis,
arrangements are then made to segregate the child from the source of infection for a period
of six weeks. This allows time for any infection acquired shortly before the test to produce
tuberculin sensitivity. At the end of this period a further test is carried out. Should the
result again be negative the vaccine is given.
After vaccination the child must be kept away from the source of infection for a
further period of six weeks while Immunity is developed. A third tuberculin test is then
performed and if this is positive the child may be.considered to be protected.
Infants who have not been In contact with a case of tuberculosis may be vaccinated
within a few days of birth since tuberculin testing is unnecessary under these circumstances.
When therefore an expected child is likely to be exposed to infection, arrangements are made
before it is born to ensure that the child does not come into contact with a known case of
tuberculosis until the vaccine has been given and immunity as shown by a tuberculin test has
been established, a period of some six to eight weeks from birth.
When the mother is herself suffering from active tuberculosis every effort is made to
arrange for her confinement in a special maternity unit.
Segregation of children may be effected either by the removal to hospital of the
source of infection or by arranging for the child to stay away from home in a household with
no known case of tuberculosis for the requisite period.
These latter arrangements may be made by the parents themselves or if this is not
possible by the Local Authority through the agency of the Invalid Chlldren*s Aid Association.
Occasionally exceptional circumstances may render segregation of the child from the source
of Infection impracticable or the parents may refuse to allow the child to stay away from
home. In such cases the parents are interviewed and it Is explained to them that if the
child remains in contact with a case of tuberculosis there is a possibility of Infection
occurring,either before B.C.G. Vaccination or during the period between the Injection of
B.C.G. Vaccine and the time about six weeks later when protection may be expected. Knowing
this the parents are then asked to sign a special form of request for vaccination showing
that they understand the explanation given above and that if the child subsequently develops
tuberculosis, this disease cannot be attributed to a failure of B.C.G, Vaccination or to
the vaccine Itself, and that they are willing that the child should receive B.C.G, Vaccination
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