FIGHT AGAINST CONSUMPTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 6 May 1914, Page 1

FIGHT AGAINST CONSUMPTION

A year has elap'scd since St. Thomas's Hospital, London, became the pioneer of a new movement Cur the treatment pi tuberculosis by establishing a special dispensary. The new enterprise has bee.iu •hilly .justified.' The dispensary has.a separate entrance from the hospital, with a waitingrooni attached. The waitingroom is open to the fres hair, but patients are protected from the chilling winds by a special arrangement of tha windows. The premises are also well heated bv steam. There is a small ward. for the accommodation of patients, ami it is principally used for the purposes <.f diagnosis. During the year 799 pa? tients attended for treatment. In addition, expert opinion was given in 95 cases. Amour; the- latter-patients were 14 received frc.n; other., departments o"£ the hospital-, and this fact illustrates omi of the most valuable sides of the work. They were admitted suffering from other maladies. and, showing ryinptoms of tuberculosis, were immediately sent to the dispensary for examination. Similar care is taken in examining the patients in the dispensary its-slf. and among thoso examined for tuberculosis 405 were referred to other departments for special treatment. No fewer than 151 of'thesa tuberculosis subjects were referred to tha dental department alone, and the throat and X-rays department received another 70 each. The cases- referred to other departments .constituted no" fewer than £4 p-er cent, of the number treated. With the couclusio'n of dispensary treatment patients are still kept undo robservati'oii in their homes. No fewer than 478 homes of consumptive people were thus visited timing the year, while in addition 331 other homes were visited by different agencies at the request of tha hospital. The department also helps patients into ccuntry homes. Another form of help .given by the hospital is the provision /of extra nourishing food' for needy patients. * •