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56
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1931
grants from public funds were provided and certain members
of the Committee therefore decided to organise a voluntary fund.
A considerable amount of success has attended their efforts and
a small fund has been established. This fund is not intended to
assist families in their living expenses as other organisations
arc available to grant assistance of this nature, but the money
collectcd is utilised to help cases of tuberculosis in other ways.
Assistance is given from this Fund to patients who are in need
of convalescent treatment for which they arc unable to pay.
Some patients are sent to convalescent homes while others are
boarded out at private houses in the country. If a patient going
to an Institution is unable to pay his railway fare the Committee
help him in this respect. Aid is also given in special cases to assist
in the payment of rent in order to tide over a period of distress.
When it is found that the patient's illness is the cause of the nonpayment
of rent the debt may be settled in order to enable the
case to receive proper treatment. The amount paid on this
account during the year was £18 11s. 0. Advances are also made
to meet arrears in Insurance payments. As already mentioned
a certain amount of clothing is purchased out of this Fund.
Seven patients were granted convalescent treatment at the
Hahnemann Home, Bournemouth, and at St. Michael's Home,
Axbridge. The total cost of these seven cases was £39 3s. 0.
All these cases were thoroughly investigated by the Secretary.
As there is often difficulty in arranging for Institutional
treatment under the London County Council's Scheme, for
advanced cases who are too ill to be treated at home, one or more
beds for cases of this type have been maintained at S. Columba's
Hospital, Hampstead, from the voluntary fund raised by the
Committee. During the year five patients were nursed at this
Hospital for varying periods, at a total cost of £86 8s. 8d. All
of them were very grateful for the care and attention they
received there. Unfortunately S. Columba's Hospital had to be
closed during a portion of the year owing to lack of funds.
The Committee has collectcd several beds and a small
quantity of bedding which is loaned to patients requiring them,
especially when one of the Council's shelters is being used.