London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Lewisham 1955

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

62
Mass radiography unit
I am indebted to the Director of the Unit for information of work
done in the borough during 1955 on which the following table is based.
The Unit during the course of the year was stationed at nine different
locations in the borough, the time spent varying from two days to six
weeks.

Table 44

PatientsMenWomenTotal
General analysis
X-rayed6,1536,17612,329
Previously x-rayed4,0563,3107,366
Recalled for large film220200420
Normal on large film8091171
Abnormal on large film140108248
Not yet re-attended11
Analysis of abnormal large films :—
Cases considered tuberculous :—
(a) no further action required11
(b) occasional supervision only12719
(c) requiring treatment211839
(d) still under investigation112
Non-tuberculous cases :—•
(a) investigated161127
(b) still under investigation11
Cardio-vascular lesions91221
Previously known tuberculous cases5914
No action required7549124

All surveys included in the above summary were open to the
general public.
Immunisation against infectious disease
The publicity campaign sponsored by the Ministry of Health in
connection with diphtheria prophylaxis was continued. In a circular
issued by the Ministry it is shown that since 1945 notifications had
fallen from over 18,000 in that year to a new low figure of 161
(provisional) for 1955. The Minister expresses the hope that authorities
will continue the campaign with renewed vigour during 1956 and that
particular efforts will be made in areas where there is a low percentage
of immunised children under five.
The number of children immunised throughout the country under
local authority arrangements (including those immunised by family
doctors) from the beginning of 1940 to 30 June, 1955, was 11,685,523.
During the first half of 1955, 278,875 children were immunised, of
whom 125,673 were under one year of age. The objective of the
campaign is still to secure immunisation of not less than 75 percent
of babies before their first birthday, the objective for 1956 being
486,000 children under one year. In 1951, only 28 percent of the number
of babies reaching the age of one year were immunised ; in 1952 the