ABSTRACT

Shortly after this, I received a call from his caseworker at the African Services Committee who expressed concern about a report from George's sister that George was "coughing a lot" and had night sweats at home. I contacted George, and once in receipt of his signed release a few days later, called the hospital in Queens where he had been admitted for treatment. George had tuberculosis. He was treated for it months before and had not been compliant with treatment. His sister was now to be prescribed prophylactic meds secondary to her own tuberculosis exposure. This was stunning news. Yet, at our next meeting, the patient denied that he ever had a T B diagnosis or any symptoms. When presented with the diagnosis obtained from the Queens hospital, he still adamantly denied the illness.