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159
"Finsen" Light Treatment of Lupus.—The treatment of lupus
by "Finsen" light is carried out at the London Hospital, and
financial responsibility for this treatment has been accepted by the
Borough Council for some years past in cases approved by the
Tuberculosis Officers.
Five patients received a total of 93 exposures to this form of
treatment during the year, the gross cost to the Council being
£25 1s. 0d. One of these patients also received 36 applications of
ultra-violet ray treatment at a cost to the Council of £1 16s. Od.
Extra Nourishment.—The Council has continued during 1936
to grant extra nourishment in accordance with the suggestions contained
in Ministry of Health Circulars 194 and 257, issued in 1921,
to those tuberculous persons likely to benefit to the greatest extent
from such assistance, namely:—
(a) Ex-sanatorium patients likely to recover full working
capacity; and
(b) Patients with prospects of ultimate arrest of the
disease who are awaiting admission to sanatoria.
Enquiry is made into the financial position of every patient
recommended by the Tuberculosis Officers for the provision of
nourishment in order to ascertain whether the income of the patient
is within the "necessity" limit of the Council. The restriction of
grants to those patients who are unable to provide for their needs
is also necessary to keep the expenditure within the amount
approved by the Ministry of Health, namely, £2 per 1,000 of the
population.
During 1936 the number of patients to whom grants of milk and
eggs were made was 152, and the total cost to the Council was
£351 11s. 4d.