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in a group. In addition, amongst the private residents there were
34 cases of tuberculosis in 2,266 males examined and 55 cases amongst
3,370 females examined. Amongst the groups referred to were Lewisham
borough council staff where there were 5 probable cases of tuberculosis
amongst 465 men and nil cases amongst 82 women. Some further
enquiries were made with regard to one of the firms which showed a
fairly high incidence of cases, but no further action was required.
If schools are excluded from the figures, the percentages are
somewhat different as school children of course have a much smaller
rate of disease. Of the private residents, as has been stated, there
were 34 cases of probable tuberculosis amongst 2,266 men, giving a
percentage of 1.5 per cent., and 55 cases amongst 3,370 women, giving
a percentage of 1.6 per cent., but taking these out and also the school
children, the remaining figures for the borough council or for firms
show 28 cases of tuberculosis amongst 2,400 men, giving an incidence
of 1.2 per cent., and 13 cases amongst 1,296 women, giving an incidence
of 1.0 per cent. It will be seen therefore that the incidence of tuberculosis
amongst private residents is fairly considerably higher than it is in
firms and administrative groups. This can probably be explained in
large part, if not completely, by the fact that amongst the private residents
those who have some symptoms are more attracted to being X-rayed,
and therefore they rather overweight their particular group, whilst
amongst firms and commercial undertakings the tendency is for all the
staff to go for examination, and therefore there is less weighting from
those cases which are more likely to be tuberculous.
Immunisation against infectious disease
I am indebted to the Divisional Medical Officer of the London
County Council for the information on which the following table is
based:—