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96
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
Classification of Cases.—In Table LIV. all patients examined
during the nine years have been placed in one or other of
three groups:—
(1). Definite cases of Tuberculosis, divided into those having
active disease at any time and those in whom there
has not been any evidence of active disease. Each
group is further sub-divided, according to the site of
the lesion, into pulmonary and non-pulmonary.
(2). Cases where the disease was suspected, but not definite.
(3). Cases where there was no evidence of Tuberculosis.
The classification of inactive disease is only made where there
is evidence on examination that the disease has been present at
some time or other. A suspicious history by itself is not considered
sufficient to warrant the diagnosis of even inactive disease.
It is comparatively common to find evidence of inactive disease
in the lungs in a person who appears to be well, and sometimes
it is found in some other part of the body.
When there is active disease in the lungs, in addition to a
lesion in some other part of the body, the case is classified as
pulmonary.