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SECTION 28: PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE
1. Tuberculosis.
Details of notified cases of tuberculosis, etc., with associated statistics are given
in an earlier section of the report.
The arrangements whereby the Chest Physicians undertake preventive duties for the
Local Health Authority, and diagnostic and curative work for the Regional Hospital Board,
continued unchanged throughout the year and worked satisfactorily in practice. Close
working liaison was maintained by regular day to day contact between the Chest Clinic and
the Health Department as the occasion arose, and monthly conferences were also held at which
the senior members of the Health Department and the Chest Physician's team were present for
the discussion of subjects connected with the Tuberculosis Service.
During the year, the main developments in connection with this aspect of the service
were the institution of a library service for tuberculous cases, the formation of a Tuberculosis
Voluntary After-Care Association and the development of a limited degree of occupational therapy
to domiciliary cases. These are alluded to more fully in the following pages.
(a) Work of the Tuberculosis Health Visitors.
During the year four Tuberculosis Health Visitors have continued their work in the
regular home visiting of tuberculosis patients, in the tracing and follow-up of contacts and
in the education of the tuberculous case and his family in good hygienic practice.
In addition to this domiciliary work of a preventive nature, each health visitor has
spent three sessions per week at the Chest Clinic working with the Chest Physician on the
practical aids to prevention, i.e., Mantoux Testing, B.C.G. vaccination, and in the arranging
for the regular periodic x-ray examinations, as well as on such curative functions as the
Artificial Pneumothorax refills and other forms of treatment undertaken at the Clinic .
The Tuberculosis Health Visitors have continued to deal with the social and domestic
problems which arise in almost every case of tuberculosis and in this way have integrated
the functions of health visitor and almoner. This has given them an even greater personal
interest in the patient and his problems, and has done much to encourage the patient's
co-operation in his treatment and in following the advice given to him. It has proved a major
factor in the rehabilitation of many cases . The Tuberculosis Health Visitors also investigate
all requests for assistance made to the Tuberculosis Voluntary After-Care Association, and
present cases which might benefit from such assistance for the Association's consideration.
During the year greater emphasis has been placed on advising on the care of the patient,
health of contacts and the many social problems arising which has necessitated additional time
being spent on each individual home visit. Many more complicated social problems are now being
dealt with at clinic sessions which, together with an increase of work In connection with the
B.C.G. scheme, has resulted in a decrease in the actual number of home visits.