DOCTORS WITH T.B.

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 11

DOCTORS WITH T.B.

HIGH INCIDENCE REPORTED Serious consideration is being given to the high incidence of tuberculosis among house physicians at teaching hospitals (says the ‘Morning Post’). While the number of “ residents ” at any one time is not lug, it is pointed out that successive generations of “ residents ” provide the future leaders of the medical profession. In addition, there is a feeling that it should be a point of honour. in voluntary hospitals to make adequate provision for the health of their staffs. Interest was first attracted to the question when it was discovered some months ago that six out of the last 26 “ residents ” at one teaching hospital had developed tuberculosis. Four out of the six cases were pulmonary. As a result, regular X-ray examinations of medical students and residents have now been instituted at one London hospital. _ Long hours of work, little open air, and greater exposure to infection than the average are among the factors which it is claimed may be responsible. It has. however, also been suggested that the average “ resident,” be.ng but one remove from a medical student, is not by nature inclined to order his life as sensibly as possible—in fact, that his alleged lack of. rest is not entirely the faiut of the hospital. The general conclusion that “ residents ” are more liable than -the averare to tuberculosis is supported, it was pointed out to a representative of the ‘ Morning Post,’ bv an investigation undertaken at the Pennsylvania Medical School in America. Here it has been found that, over a period of years, the onset of tuberculosis. as indicated by tlio appearance of now lesions or the progression of existing lesions, is more frequent in the third year of study than in the first two years put together. It is the third year" which corresponds with regular introduction to the wards.