View report page

14
At the close of 1928 there were 1,376 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
and 655 cases of Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis on the register.
At the Tuberculosis Dispensaries 1,018 suspected cases, including
367 contacts to notified cases, were examined. Sputum examinations
numbered 945. The total number of attendances at the Dispensaries
was 6,328, and 157 cases were sent for treatment to residential
institutions. A full report on the working of the Tuberculosis
Dispensaries is contained on page 48.
The circulars forwarded to medical practitioners, containing an
extract from Circular 549 of the Ministry of Health which suggested
action by the local authority when notification had not been carried
out by medical practitioners, has greatly improved notification, and
there is now no delay in notifying these cases; but as regards cases sent
for treatment at the Dispensaries there is still considerable room for
improvement. The deaths among Dispensary patients during the past
year numbered 112, and 30 of these patients, or 26 per cent., were in
the final stage of the disease on first attendance; 57 patients, or 50
per cent., were in the second stage. It also appears, from examination
of the case papers, that 31 of these cases, or 27 per cent., had been
suffering from the disease for a period varying from 3 to 12 months
before being referred to the Dispensary.
The Hackney Borough Council Act, 1926, has been of considerable
assistance as regards those persons suffering from Pulmonary
Tuberculosis who were infectious and living under such circumstances
as to cause risk of infection to other persons. It has been possible to
effect considerable improvement in the home surroundings by reference
to the powers of removal contained in that Act so that legal proceedings
and removal to hospital have not been necessary. Nine
cases received residential institutional treatment during the year.
Sanitary Inspection.
During the past year 6,000 Intimation Notices and over 1,800
Statutory Notices have been served, and the detailed work of sanitary
inspection has been carefully and conscientiously carried out. The
work of sanitary inspection can only be realised by carefully considering
the tables of inspection of food premises, food seizure, drain
testing, sampling, notices served, nuisances abated, and other details
of the work of the Department set out in the body of this Report.
The extent to which the careful work of the Sanitary Inspectors
and staff of the Department neutralises the ill-effects of overcrowding
is not realised: thus, during 1928 no fewer than 164 premises have
been cleared of rats, 256 rooms sprayed or otherwise cleared of
vermin, 3,096 rooms disinfected, 58,912 articles disinfected and 3,108
adults and children cleansed from parasitic infection, by the staff of