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65.
opinion or supervision at the Dispensary by their
doctors). It is often a good practice to place panel
patients newly returned from Sanatorium in this
class.
(4) General Supervision Cases. Old cases of arrested
or quiescent disease, not requiring any form of
treatment and who are usually full-time workers.
(This is the particular type of case which the
Medical Officers encourage to attend at the evening
sessions, such attendances being chiefly for record
purposes.)
Under the Ministry of Health Regulations, the
Tuberculosis Officers endeavour to see every case on
their register at least once a vear:—but it should be
understood that in this particular, (as in all others
appertaining to tuberculosis work) there is no compulsion
: and should a patient not desire public medical
treatment, there is no power to enforce same. It is
however extremely rare for a patient to refuse examination
.
In regard to re-examination (i.e. for cases on
Dispensary or general supervision) although no patient
has ever been refused this if specially desired, the
Tuberculosis Officers have, in determining the intervals
of attendance for such purpose, been invariably guided
by the particular type or phase of the disease, due regard
also being given to the psychology of the individual.
Many patients have attended the Dispensary on the
occurrence of trivial ailments, thinking that such were
signs of fresh disease, or a relapse in an old condition :
these cases are referred to their own doctors for requisite
treatment, the latter being outside the province of the
Dispensary.
Diagnosis in new cases, under the existing regulations
must be arrived at as far as possible within a
specified period of three months (i.e. observation cases) :
at the end of this time, the individual is either registered
as tuberculous or discharged; although if further sus-