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108
Section 28 of the 1919 Housing Act has been found to have limitations
in the light of certain Court cases. If a Council proceeds to do
the work of repairing houses in default of the owner, there is a risk
that difficulty may arise before the money can be collected. In
Deptford, therefore, the use of Section 28 will be restricted.
Tuberculosis. In January, I wrote a Report on the Tuberculosis
Service. The scheme was built on the thirteen paragraphs in Circular
149, issued by the Ministry of Health on 23rd December, 1920. The
Tuberculosis Officer visits patients' homes at least once to supervise
the nurse's work and familiarise himself with the patient's surroundings.
The Tuberculosis Officer holds eight Dispensary sessions per week;
he has a certain amount of clerical work to do, and holds consultations
over cases. Treatment is limited to Tuberculin "and those unable to
obtain other adequate medical attendance." Education as to the
hygienic mode of life is given. Children of school age suffering from
adenoids, defective teeth and enlarged tonsils are referred to the school
clinic.
In March, I gave a Report to the Public Health Committee on
"Following Up." Later a Report was given on the Administration
and Practice at the Dispensary. This dealt with (1) Notification:
(2) Disinfection; (3) Visiting by the Tuberculosis Officer. I visited
the homes of every case attending the Dispensary, namely, 101 people.
(4) Contacts; (5) Lapsed cases; (6) Diagnosis pending cases.
The Committee agreed to the keeping of certain new registers:—
(a) The contacts of each case were to be put down in a book and
ticked off as examined. Revisits to be paid in 14 days where contacts
had failed to attend. (b) A Register with the name and address of
each new case, with the date on which the patient is due to return. To
be visited if one month overdue.
It was decided to re-cast the form on which the monthly statistical
report was made up. The following is a copy:—
Jan. 1st Month
to end of period of
under report.
1. Persons, other than "Contacts" examined for
the first time at or in connection with the
Dispensary—
(a) Found to be suffering from Pulmonary
Tuberculosis
(b) Found to be suffering from other
Tuberculosis
(c) Found to be Non-Tuberculous
(d) Diagnosis pending