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It has been stated that too little attention is paid to the examination
of contacts, but every endeavour has been made during the past
year to examine the contacts to every notified case.
During 1927, 416 primary cases were notified, and the contacts to
these cases number, in all 1,001 persons, and of these 433 contacts were
examined, making the number examined over 43 per cent. As one
must bear in mind that adult contacts generally refuse examination
unless in ill-health, under the circumstances already recorded, this
percentage is very fair. Some of these contacts were examined
privately and not at the Dispensary.
During the year 1927, 204 deaths were registered—181 pulmonary
and 23 non-pulmonary. Enquiries as to contacts were made in all
cases, with the exception of deaths occurring in Mental Hospitals.
Of the pulmonary deaths, there were 495 contacts, of which 311
were examined, representing 62.8 per cent. examined; and of the
non-pulmonary deaths there were 66 contacts, of which 19 were examined,
representing 28.8 per cent. examined.
The actual treatment of patients at the Dispensaries has been
most ably and carefully carried out, and the immense amount of useful
work done is tabulated in the reports of the medical officers in charge
of the Dispensaries.