Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Old Age

¹ Chest Hospital, Beer Yaacov.
² Medical Department, Malben-JDC.
³ Pardessia Institute for Tuberculous Aged.

1. This article describes a follow-up made on 197 aged patients who had been admitted, because of pulmonary tuberculosis, to a residential institution during the years 1953 through 1958.

2. All the residents remained under close medical supervision and most of them continued to obtain antimicrobial treatment. At the same time they were encouraged to take part in the daily activities of the institution.

3. The clinical-pathological picture of the disease essentially was not different from that observed in younger age groups.

4. In over 52 per cent of the patients, clinical stability and sputum conversion had been achieved.

5. None of the 40 healthy partners who had lived with their sick spouses in the institution contracted clinical tuberculosis.

6. After an adequate period of hospital care, the aged patient with active disease should be transferred for further treatment to a residential unit when his return to the community is precluded.