The response of sputum-positive tuberculosis in Jamaica to drug and hospital treatment - abstract

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with the immediate results following hospital treatment with rest, drugs and surgery on a series of 200 consecutive ward admissions in the sanatorium in Jamaica from the end of 1952 through 1955. The patients all had positive sputum at the date of their admission to the sanitorium, and were in the lower income brackets. 60 percent suffered from far advanced tuberculosis, 34 per cent from moderately advanced disease and 6 per cent from minimal lesions. Treatment varied according to the needs of the patient, and consisted basically of rest with long-term combined drugs, supplemented by surgery where necessary. Pneumoperitoneum was used in addition to rest and drugs in 29 per cent of the patients. 3 of the 200 patients died in hospital, and 12 (6 per cent) remained in the hospital at the date of observation. Of the patients discharged 77.5 per cent of the advanced group left with a good prognosis, and 83.8 per cent of the moderately advanced group also left with a good prognosis. All minimal cases did well. On the whole, women did somewhat better than men. In the final analysis, of the original 200 patients 81 per cent left hospital with a good prognosis. 8 per cent