View report page

134
The Public Analyst examined 420 specimens of sputum from Dispensary
patients.
PROVISION OF EXTRA NOURISHMENT.
Under the Ministry of Health Regulations, extra nourishment is
allowed to be given to patients attending the Dispensary who are requiring
nourishing food and who are unable to afford such extras. The nourishment
cannot be granted to persons who are in receipt of Public Assistance
Relief. Allowances of such foods as milk, butter and eggs have been
granted to 65 patients during the year.
In the case of patients who are in receipt of Public Assistance,
recommendations for extra nourishment have been made to the appropriate
Committee of that Authority. In all cases such recommendations from
the Tuberculosis Officer have received careful attention and consideration.
Patients requiring clothing have also, in many cases, been sent to
the Public Assistance Committee, and these cases also have received
every consideration.
The Charity Organisation Society, the British Red Cross, the United
Services Fund and the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis
have all given most valuable help to cases sent for assistance.
SUPERVISION OF HOME CONDITIONS.
There are three Tuberculosis Nurses on the Staff of the Dispensary
and their duties include the home visiting of all notified cases of Tuberculosis
occurring in the Borough.
The Nurses report to the Tuberculosis Officer details relating to the
home conditions of all patients.
As the greatest aim of the Tuberculosis Service is to prevent the
spread of the disease, the homes are visited at frequent intervals and
the Nurses endeavour to obtain the confidence of the patients and their
families, and to help them to so arrange their homes that other members
of the family may remain free from infection. At the same time, should
the patient be at home they offer suggestions of a simple and commonsense
nature, as to how the patient can obtain the maximum amount of
benefit to his health while living a more or less normal life.