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94
Report of Tuberculosis Officer—continued.
enjoyable and instructive afternoon was spent viewing the Colony.
Interest was added to the visit for Deptford representatives,
owing to the fact that we have two patients there. One, a girl
aged 18 years, has been away undergoing treatment in various
Sanatoria since January, 1926 (her home conditions being totally
unsuitable for her to return to). During this period she was
transferred to "Papworth" in June, 1931, and hopes to settle
eventually, and to become, by degrees, self supporting. This
girl has kept in touch with the Care Committee since she first
went away, six years ago, and we find it most interesting to
watch her development, physically and otherwise. The other
patient, a girl aged 27 years, entered the Colony in April, 1929.
She is now employed on Clerical work, and has settled down very
happily. She has recently been promoted to quarters in the
Women's Hostel, opened by Queen Mary. A coveted privilege!
In one of her interesting letters she describes her new home
as a magnificient place. These two cases furnish ample proof,
that, given good conditions and suitable environment, certain
types of persons can, although suffering from this dread disease,
attain to a certain standard of health, modified happiness and
usefulness.
During the year, 1,380 persons have been interviewed by the
Secretary at the Dispensary.
952 visits have been paid to patients at their homes.
1,037 cases have been submitted to the Care Committee on the
Agenda.
Figures are somewhat cold facts in connection with "Care
Work," but it must be taken for granted that behind these
quoted, lies tragedy in bulk.
I n carrying out our general work we have, this year particularly,
encountered a large amount of distress, due to a great extent to
the period of depression through which the country is passing
and the consequent unemployment. Disastrous indeed from the
Care Committee point of view, to the cases with which we deal,
for while caring for those actually suffering from tuberculosis,
the word "prevention" is always in our thoughts. We feel that