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pneumothorax treatment, "Finsen" Light treatment for lupus,
and artificial sunlight treatment for this and other forms of tuberculosis
were provided by arrangement with the London Hospital
and the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Heart and Lungs.
In 1935 the building progress made by the Council justified the
Public Health Committee referring to the Housing Committee a
memorandum on the question of housing accommodation for persons
infected by tuberculosis, with a suggestion that special attention
should be given to the position of the infectious tuberculous persons
when large housing schemes were under consideration, whilst in
1937 arrangements for dental treatment for tuberculous patients
were put into operation.
The year 1943 saw the introduction of the Government's
Scheme for payment of maintenance allowances to tuberculous
persons undergoing treatment under which allowances were payable
to patients for the maintenance of themselves and their dependents
whilst they were awaiting admission to residential institutions,
whilst they were in hospital or sanatoria, and after discharge to
their homes in cases where they were not sufficiently restored to
health to be able to work. The amount of the allowance was
assessed by an officer of the County Council, who attended at the
two Tuberculosis Dispensaries for that purpose, and allowances
were paid by the Borough Treasurer.
Mass Miniature Radiography provided by the Government
for use in detecting unsuspected pulmonary tuberculosis was made
available in Hackney in 1944 and the unit remained in operation
for a period of three months. Letters were issued to factories in
the borough and arrangements were made through the Public
Health Department for 2,265 persons to attend for X-ray examination.
In 141 cases the persons were invited to re-attend for X-ray
films of the usual size to be taken, and as a result of this 29 probable
cases of early pulmonary disease were discovered.
In 1946 Hackney and Stoke Newington Tuberculosis Care
Committee transferred their work from the offices at 26, Lower
Clapton Road to the Dispensary at the Metropolitan Hospital, to
serve the part of Hackney and Stoke Newington covered by the
Dispensary, and a new Care Committee was constituted to be accommodated
within the London Chest Hospital Tuberculosis
Dispensary, to serve the remainder of Hackney and the Borough of
Bethnal Green. These arrangements operated very successfully
and with considerable advantage to patients and their families
who could see within the same premises both Tuberculosis Officer
and Care Committee Secretary.