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84
Report of Tuberculosis Officer—continued,
Notes on Tables of Notifications.
Though the tables show that 15 cases died before coming to the
notice of the Medical Officer of Health, 8 (6 pulmonary and 2 nonpulmonary)
through death returns, 7 (6 pulmonary and 1 non-pulmonary),
by posthumous notification, there does not appear to be
any marked failure to carry out the duty of immediate notification.
Of the 3 non-pulmonary cases 2 were cases of meningitis and 1
of miliary tuberculosis; of the 12 pulmonary cases, 1 was a child
notified as dying of pulmonary disease and meningitis, 1 a case
notified as dying in a mental hospital who had been there for years.
1 had been in the borough for only 5 months and had been notified
elsewhere. 2 were cases of tuberculous broncho-pneumonia, 1 a
case of broncho-pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis admitted to
hospital from a lodging-house only three days before death, 1 a
woman admitted to hospital a day before death, and 1 who died
from sudden hæmorrhage. Of the remainder one was a case of
diabetes with pulmonary tuberculosis, and in the case of one of the
others the patient's doctor wrote explaining lateness of notification.
Five pulmonary and 6 non-pulmonary cases which were transferred
into the borough were not notified in the area before the end
of the year. Where such cases originate at a hospital they are
seldom seen at Dispensary and may not have occasion to call in a
local doctor, so that they may remain formally unnotified. They
are however visited, and the patient and his home kept under
supervision as in the case of patients formally notified.
In 8 of the cases notified, 7 pulmonary and 1 non-pulmonary,
the diagnosis was subsequently not confirmed.
Eleven of the cases notified died within a month of notification.
One died of meningitis 2 from causes other than tuberculosis, 6
were admitted to hospital (3 from lodging-houses) within from 3
days to 3 weeks before death.