[Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset Council
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/70 (page 15)
    Tlie demand for beds for advanced cases of Pnlinonary Tuberciilosis remains as heavy as ever and, once again, it is impossible to j)rovide enougli of these owing to lack of nursing staff. To sum up—while deaths from Tubei'cult)sis continue to decrease there is a marked in¬ crease in Tuberculosis throughout the country and this is likely to continue until our housing ami dietary dilliculties ai'c over. Sanatoiium or hospital treatment was given to 444 cases. In addition, many open-air shelters were provided, those in actual use on December 31st, 1947, being 45, which is the number of shelters available. Milk, for a period of si.x or eight weeks was piovided in 92 cases, dental treatment for 2 cases. X-ray examinations for 5,965. Treatment by the use of artificial pneumothorax has been continued and the cases dealt with are shown in the following table:— At Dispensary or home of patient. At Institutions. Primary inductions ...... 0 31 Kefills . 1,570 1,568 Total. 31 3,138 The new cases seen numbered 2,750, and were classified as follows:— Pulmonary Tuberculosis. T.B. Negative T.B. Positive Stage 1 T.B. Positive Stage 2 T.B. Positive Stage 3 495 17 176 44 Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Bones and Joints Abdominal Other Organs ... Peripheral Glands 30 14 12 49 Not Tuberculous Diagnosis not complete on 31st December, 1947 1,862 51 2,750 Quantock Sanatorium. The Medical Superintendent, Dr. V. C. Martyn, has furnished the following report:— The Sanatorium has been open fur the reception of 111 cases (66 males and 45 females) throughout the year. During this time 163 cases have been admitted, of whom 97 were males and 66 females. 158 2:)aiients were discharged, 93 males and 65 females. There were 4 deaths. The average stay for male ])atients was 244 days and for female patients 250 days. This is an average of 35 weeks for each patient. Artificial pneumothorax treatment was carried out in all suitable cases. There were 36 inductions, 1,021 refills for in-])aiients and 140 for out-patients.