Inadequate Tuberculosis Control Within Hospitals

Cases are cited of the failure to control tuberculosis among hospital personnel. The failures are due to insufficient examinations and to faulty case-finding technique. This is a health menace to employes and to hospital patients. The remedies are: Case finding to include all hospital employes at all times, improved administration of case finding, dual reading of films and the designation of one physician as hospital epidemiologist to have the responsibility for all aspects of tuberculosis control within the hospital. This control should extend to periodic examination of former employes who have left the hospital where they were exposed to infection.