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SECTION 28: PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE.
TUBERCULOSIS
The statistics relating to notified cases of tuberculosis are given in an earlier
section , page 11.
The number of new cases of tuberculosis notified each year continues its decline.
The number of deaths due to tuberculosis in 1956 was 13, which is the lowest ever recorded
in West Ham. During 1957 there were 17 deaths, and although a higher number than the
previous year it is not in itself a significant reversal of the favourable trend over the
past few years.
The close co-operation between the Chest Clinic and the Health Department has
continued. The senior members of the Health Department and the Chest Physician meet for
regular conferences and close working liaison has been maintained.
Work of the Tuberculosis Health Visitors.
The health visitors undertake regular home visiting of the tuberculosis patients.
Home Visits Clinic Sessions
1956 1957 1956 1957
3,511 2,880 538 521
The four health visitors deal with the many social and domestic problems which
are involved J.n all cases of tuberculosis to a greater or lesser degree. This combined
function as health adviser and social worker has done much to gain the confidence and
co-operation of the patient both with the medical treatment and the after-care advised for
his special needs.
The health visitors work in close liaison with the Tuberculosis Voluntary Aftercare
Committee. Their knowledge of the families under their care has proved of great
value to the Committee in making decisions on the cases presented to them.
This extension of the social work of the health visitor has proved a very important
factor in retaining the staff;, and the wider interest involved has supplied the much needed
encouragement to the recruitment of trained staff into this special sphere of nursing.
I am indebted to the Chest Physician who has supplied much of the material
contained in the following paragraphs.
Contact Tracing and B.C.C-. Vaccination.
As soon as a case is notified as suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, appointments
for contact examination are offered to all members of the family and to any other person
known to be in close contact. In the case of adults, chest x-ray examinations are done
and in the case of children, x-ray examinations and tuberculin tests. Contacts both
adult and children are kept under observation as long as it appears necessary. Children
who are tuberculin negative are given B.C.G. vaccination, with the parents' consent.
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