London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lewisham 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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whilst samples of food offered for sale are submitted for suitability for
human consumption, for pathogenic organisms and for evidence of
bacterial toxins in relation to outbreaks of cases of suspected food
poisoning.
The following summary relates to the work carried out by the laboratory on behalf of the Council during 1953 :—
Table 15
| Specimen | Number | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Faeces | 282 | Negative |
| 72 | Positive — Shigella sonnei | |
| 5 | ,, —Salmonella typhi-murium | |
| 5 | ,, —Salmonella enteritidis | |
| Urine | 6 | |
| Nose swabs | 39 | C. diphtheriae not isolated in any case. |
| Throat swabs | 109 | |
| Sputum | 21 | Negative |
| 1 | Positive for TB. | |
| Blood | 1 | Serological, for syphilis — negative. |
| Milk | 57 | |
| Dried Milk | 1 | |
| Icecream | 64 | |
| Water | 17 | |
| Synthetic cream | 1 | |
| Dried egg | 1 | |
| Meat | 4 | Negative |
| 1 | Positive — TB present. | |
| Custard | 2 | |
| Stewed apple | 1 | |
| Gravy | 1 | |
| Swab from mincer | 1 | |
| Potato and greens | 1 |
National Assistance Act, 1948 — section 47
Under section 47 of the above Act, as amended by the National
Assistance (Amendment) Act, 1951, persons suffering from grave chronic
disease, or who are aged, infirm or physically incapacitated, and who are
living in insanitary conditions and unable to devote to themselves and
not receiving from other persons proper care and attention, may be
removed compulsorily. For this the medical officer of health must be
satisfied, after thorough inquiry and consideration, that in the interests
of any such person or for preventing injury to the health of, or serious
nuisance to, other persons it is necessary to remove that person.
The Local Authority may then apply to a court of summary jurisdiction
for an order for the removal of the person to a suitable hospital
or other place in, or within convenient distance of, the area of the local
authority and for his detention and maintenance therein. In order to
enable local authorities to deal expeditiously with certain types of cases,
the procedure required under section 47 of the National Assistance Act,
1948 has been simplified by the National Assistance (Amendment)
Act, 1951, which enables the medical officer of health to make direct
application to the court, provided there is supporting medical evidence.