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(e) Rehabilitation and Employment of Known Cases of Tuberculosis.
Every effort is made in co-operation with the Disablement Resettlement Officer to
place quiescent and suitable chronic sputum positive cases in suitable employment to ensure
that both their work and the conditions will be suitable to their own health and that of
their fellow employees. The risk to others is minimised as far as possible by training in
precautionary measures, especially in the chronic sputum positive cases. Forty-one cases
were so referred during the past year.
Many of the arrested and quiescent cases were rehabilitated through the Ministry of
Labour training scheme. In addition, financial responsibility for rehabilitation and training
at Papworth Village Settlement was accepted in respect of one male and two female cases.
Suitable cases recommended by Chest Physicians were also sent for convalescence
before return to work or following the completion of immediate treatment. The necessary
arrangements were made in respect of eleven adults.
(f) Housing for the Tuberculous.
When the housing conditions of the tuberculous family are found to be unsatisfactory,
recommendations are made in special cases by the Medical Officer of Health to the Housing
Committee, after ascertainment of the relevant details from the Chest Clinic and full
investigation by the Health Department. Special cases are not represented to the Housing
Committee purely because there is a case of tuberculosis in the family. Priority is recommended
in such cases, for instance, where there is an infective patient in the family, and
where isolation, especially from contacts of a dangerous age, cannot be achieved.
(g) Provision of Nursing "Requisites in respect of Tuberculous Cases.
Nursing requisites such as bed-pans, urinals, air-rings, bed-cradles, wheel-chairs,
etc., are available on loan to tuberculous patients under domiciliary care, as in the case
of other types of illness. A stock of these is maintained at the Chest Clinic for issue as
necessary.
2. Convalescence.
During the year 126 applications for adult convalescence were received - general
practitioners 86, general hospitals (mostly out-patients) 29, Chest Clinic 8, Psychiatric
Clinic 2, other clinics 1.
Of these 14 were withdrawn, either by the patient or the recommending doctor before
consideration by the Council's medical officer, 5 were not approved - 2 being referred to
other authorities; 1 referred to the Regional Hospital Board; 1 for action under
Section 22; 1 unsuitable for admission to a Home.
The remaining 107 applications were approved by the Council's medical officer, but
of these 18 subsequently were withdrawn for varying reasons. The number of patients who
were sent away for a period of convalescence was therefore 89.
The average period of convalescence was 2 weeks per patient, and of the 89 who went
away 73 stated they had improved in health and that the improvement had been maintained.
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