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62
The number of patients on the register now totals
887, an increase of 41 on the figure for 1928, in which
year there happened to be rather more cases discharged.
In connection with discharges, it may be noted that
in accordance with the Regulations, classification as
cured* can only be adopted in pulmonary cases if the
patient has been in an arrested state for a period of 3
consecutive years; whilst the term "arrested" is only
applicable to those patients who have shown no indication
of active disease, i.e. have been quiescent for a
period of 2 years. Thus actually if a patient is once
notified as suffering from Tuberculosis (unless de-notified
as non-tubercular by or with the consent of the medical
practitioner who originally notified the case) he cannot
be discharged as "cured " within a period of five years.
It will be recognised that those patients discharged as
"cured" are cases who have remained under supervision
by Public Health authorities, either in Fulham or elsewhere
until they have fulfilled the conditions specified
above.
The number of Dispensary attendances during the
year was 3,245; the number of re-examinations was
3,015; and the actual number of individuals attending
was 1,472, a slight decrease on the previous year and
probably accounted for by the closure of the premises
during August.
Under the present Tuberculosis Scheme the Dispensary
is primarily a consultation centre and routine
treatment by drugs, etc., is discouraged: generally
speaking, drug treatment is of very little permanent
benefit in dealing with tuberculosis. Those individuals
who require temporary medical treatment (usually
for ailments not connected with the actual disease) are
referred either to their own doctors to institutions, or
to the Guardians when circumstances so indicate. In
cases of exceptional distress or emergency it is, however,
the custom at the Dispensary to supply certain medicaments
for limited periods until satisfactory arrangements
* i.e. "recovered."