HOME HEALTH GUIDE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 87, 6 July 1945, Page 2

HOME HEALTH GUIDE

TUBERCULOSIS IN INDUSTRY (By the Department of Health). Not so long ago a survey was made in Wellington among over 2000 office and factory workers to determine exactly liow much tuberculosis there existed unsuspected and hidden until the X-ray revealed the trouble. Miniature X-ray photography was used to dctect abnormal chcsts, and then in tho.se selected doubtful picturcs large X-ray films were, next taken to show up more detail. The highest incidence of tuberculosis it was revealed occurred in the twenties, between ages 25-29 years and there was more tuberculosis in factory workers male and female between ages 20 and 29 years than iin clerical workers. Above this age group though j more showed up in female clerical workers over 30 years of age—for every two female-cases in industry at this older age there were six in female clerical workers. In the younger ages under 30 years } females in factory work showed more tftber-

culosis in the. ratio of three cases found in industry to two in offices. In the same younger ages males in laetory work also were more affected, five cases being found in factories to each one in offices. Girls were more, susceptible than boys in the late teen ages in the ratio of just a shade under two to one. When tlie whole .survey was summed u-p approximately three out of every 100 workers in factories and offices had unsuspected tuberculosis but very fortunately most of this was either healed or inactive. Six in each thousand examined had active and dangerous tuberculosis— dangerous to themselves and to their fellow workers. This survey .showed that tuberculosis affects the very ones who are most valuable as industrial workers—men and women after their twentieth year and before middle age. After the war it is proposed to pay special attention to tuberculosis in industr\\ Sufficient equipment, it is hoped will be available then.