View report page

74
It will be seen, comparing column (b) with column (a), that where
there had been a second case in the house there was a greater tendency
for the second case to be isolated in a separate bed than where there
was merely the one case in a house.
Window area, lighting, ventilation were about the same in each
group, but in the multiple cases there was a lower percentage with
satisfactory food storage facilities. The percentages of the two groups
having separate water supply, separate water closets and separate baths
were almost identical and, similarly, the percentages having no bath
available (17 in one case, 15 in the other) show no significant difference.
There was, however, a slight increase in the percentage of the houses
requiring attention for sanitary defects in the group of multiple cases
compared with the group of single cases. The better results in column (c)
can be explained by the fact that nearly all the inward transfers were
rehousing cases to new or newish houses in the borough.
Analysis of the record cards was also made from the angle of
crowding or overcrowding. In this case 419 cards were reviewed
(10 less than those dealt with in the paragraphs above) and of these
105 were not assessed. This was due to the fact that at the beginning
of the year exact measurements were not made of the rooms in the
houses. This leaves 314 cases and of these, 18 were found to be overcrowded
on the standard laid down in the Housing Act, 1936, and 296
were not overcrowded (see Fig. on p. 73). The numbers are not further
analysed into a group where there was only one case in a house and
into a group where there was more than one case in a house. The
percentage overcrowded of those assessed is therefore 5.7. In the
1935 overcrowding survey, when the whole borough was reviewed, the
percentage of families overcrowded was 3.1.
Mass radiography unit
The south-east London mass radiography unit visited the borough
during March and April and was stationed at various centres. 5,190 men
and 5,360 women were examined. Of the 5,190 men 206 were asked to
return so that larger X-rays could be taken, and of these 4 did not reattend.
Of the 202 remaining 38 were found to have no abnormality
and 80 were thought to have old trouble not requiring further
treatment; 65 were referred to their doctors as probably tuberculous
and a further 10 for some other reason probably not tuberculous.
Nine cases were still being investigated at the time of the report. Of
the 5,190 men, therefore, 65 or 1.3 per cent. were thought to be cases
of tuberculosis.
Of the 5,360 women 228 were asked to return for larger X-rays,
but 3 did not attend. Of the 225 remaining 38 showed no abnormality
and 97 showed old trouble not requiring treatment. 68 were referred
to their doctor as probably tuberculous and 16 for other reasons nontubercular.
Six were still being investigated. Of the 5,360 women,
therefore, 68 or 1.3 per cent. were thought to be tuberculous.
The figures were also divided up amongst the various firms and
groups, and in 6 cases amongst the men and in 2 cases amongst the
women there was more than one probably tuberculous person present