View report page

(f) Housing for the Tuberculous. Close liaison is maintained between the Chest
Physician, Housing Officer and Health Department, in questions relating to the rehousing
of tuberculous cases. When the housing circumstances are so unsatisfactory that they
carry a serious risk of breakdown of the patient or of spread of infection, the Medical
Officer of Health may recommend the case to the special consideration of the Housing
Committee; and in this way a few families in really urgent medical need have been
rehoused in time to prevent disaster. Seen in the perspective of the difficult housing
situation, however, with so many other distressing calls on the slender services available,
it will be appreciated that it is only in the most exceptional cases, where no other
worthwhile alternative is possible, that preferential consideration of this kind can be
recommended.
(g) Provision of Nursing Requisites for Tuberculous Cases.
Nursing requisites such as bedpans, back rests, air rings, urinals and sputum pots
are loaned to patients where necessary.
A stock of these is maintained at the Chest Clinic for issue on loan as necessary,
and during the year 26 such articles were issued.
(h) Disposal of Sputum.
Attention had been drawn in recent years to the difficulties experienced in the
disinfection of tuberculous sputum especially in those bedfast cases where it was
particularly tenacious and where no proper means of disposal existed in the patient's home.
It was felt that the use of a stabilised hypochlorite which had been the subject of extensive
recent investigation might be a satisfactory solution to this problem.
Arrangements were, therefore, made for its issue in suitably labelled containers in
cases where difficulties of this kind were experienced. In this way the problem of disposal
was greatly eased, and the Tuberculosis Health Visitors were given much needed help in one of
the most difficult and important tasks in the health education of the domiciliary case of
tuberculosis.
(1) Library Service for Tuberculous Patients.
It had been felt for some time that the restrictions of the ordinary library facilities
for the tuberculous case, especially the homebound patient, was a serious hardship. A scheme
was approved by the Health and Library Committees, and with the invaluable help of the Borough
Librarian and his staff a library service was opened at the Chest Clinic in Balaam Street in
November. An initial supply of 200 volumes clothed in transparent plastic covers was obtained.
They ranged over a wide variety of subjects, suitably labelled to prevent any confusion or
misuse. Adequate arrangements were made for the stamping and recording of issues of the books
in the recognised manner. Issues are made weekly to the patients attending the Chest Clinic
whilst domiciliary cases have their books supplied and changed by the Tuberculosis Health
Visitors, as necessary.
A grant was made by the Health and Library Committees towards the scheme and was used
for the obtaining of copies of books most in demand at the ordinary public libraries, and
special arrangements have also been made for the obtaining of books on simple forms of
occupational therapy which are much in demand amongst this type of reader. The service has
been greatly appreciated by the patients and the demands on it have continued to grow steadily
since its inception.
63