asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the total number of persons in mental hospitals throughout the country, who are suffering from pulmonary T.B., (b) what specialised treatment for T.B. is available to such patients, and (c) if such treatment is not available or is only partially available, whether he has considered, or has under consideration, the possibility of utilising St. Patrick's Regional Chest Hospital, Castlerea, for such purposes, and, if so, with what result.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mental Hospitals—Pulmonary T.B. Patients.
(a) The latest available figures show that 279 patients in district mental hospitals were suffering from active pulmonary T.B.
(b) Modern drug therapy is available to all patients and surgical treatment is provided in appropriate cases. The T.B. services, advisory and otherwise, of the local health authorities are at the disposal, as required, of the mental hospital authorities in the organisation of treatments for patients and all steps possible are taken to secure adequate segregation of patients suffering from active T.B.
(c) A suggestion that the Castlerea institution should be used for the treatment of mental patients suffering from T.B. has been made and is being examined in conjunction with the question of the future use of the institution which is at present under consideration.