Report of the Committee of Management and Medical Director : 1940 / Papworth Village Settlement.

  • Papworth Village Settlement (Cambridge, England)
Date:
1940
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee of Management and Medical Director : 1940 / Papworth Village Settlement. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/28 (page 3)
    REPORT OF THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE YEAR 1940 The year which has just closed has indeed been a testing time for the tuberculosis schemes of this country. Some have weathered the storm : others, less successful, have exhibited flaws which call for remedy. As in the last war, the influx of sailors, soldiers and airmen, as patients requiring treatment, has demonstrated the weaknesses of the tuberculosis service and its inability in present circumstances to prevent the spread of infection. Recruits with T.B. Little or no co-ordination at first appeared as between the tuberculosis dispensary regis¬ ters and the recruiting boards. The medical record cards could have been made the key to the situation; and by their proper use hundreds of men with moderately advanced tuberculosis of the lungs wpuld have been prevented from entering the Forces. Un¬ fortunately this valuable aid was not made available, and time and again recruits have suddenly broken down. Only then has it been discovered that they are suffering from tuberculous disease too advanced to respond to treatment. This state of affairs was later in part remedied, but not until after much damage had been done. Few Early Cases. Comparing the type of disease of ex- Servicemen and civilians—all of whom are now, as the King said, in the front line—we find the “early case” conspicuous by its absence. The working man, as I have re¬ peatedly pointed out, has not time to be an ea/ly case of tuberculosis. As a civilian he is too keen to continue at work, to earn the wages without which his whole environment must collapse. In the Services similar men carry on despite fatigue and feelings of lassi¬ tude—the signs of early infiltration—until the disease has established a firm hold. There is, however, evidence that in some units earlier detection of pleurisy has disclosed early cases of tuberculosis, with markedly beneficial results to the patient and all concerned. The Tripartite Unit. The variety'of cases received at Papworth both from the Forces and from civilian sources thus demonstrates once again that the ideal treatment centre should consist of the tri¬ partite unit—hospital, sanatorium, and village settlement. From both the medical and economic points of view such a unit is indis¬ pensable: for withouesuch a combined scheme complete treatment is impossible and when only one component of the scheme is present demoralisation is very apt to occur. This latter point I want very much to emphasise. The demoralisation—not only of the patient, but of the staff as well—is likely to arise in institutions where hope of re¬ habilitation is lacking. Not once, but many times, we have found that our greatest task in dealing with patients who have come to us from other sanatoria is to build up their moral tone and to make them realise that “ hope and work create vitality.” Importance of Morale. The tuberculous patient must be en¬ couraged to lay hold on life once again. He must feel that he is not wholly dependent upon others: that if he is given the right environment he can again become a self- respecting member of the community and pull his weight in the national effort. Thus and thus only can he regain confidence, happiness and a sense of well-being. Living Wage Essential. Another point too often overlooked is that it is useless to train ” a disabled man or woman in some craft or trade unless there exists an opportunity—clearly discernible to the patient—of translating, that training into terms of a living wage. How often this is forgotten ! I hope and trust that the mistakes made in connection with the “training ” of ex-Service men during and after the last war will be remembered and therefore not repeated. Papworth’s Activities Increasing. That consumptives can become useful citizens, to their own advantage and that of their country, has been sufficiently demon¬ strated at Papworth. Indeed the size and scope of that demonstration now far exceeds our wildest dreams. So far from decreasing, our activities are multiplying. They could be increased still further. Capital alone is required. Houses and hostels for the accom¬ modation of ex-patients are still, as ever, an urgent necessity and would prove of the ut most benefit both to the disabled people themselves and to the community as a whole. There is a heavy and continuous demand for the facilities provided at Papworth. We [3]