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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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65
Tuberculosis — environmental conditions
Case papers showing the environmental condition of patients
attending the Lewisham Chest Clinic in 1959 have been analysed in
195 cases with the following results:—
Table 47
| Cases | %* | |
|---|---|---|
| Males | 107 | 55 |
| Females | 88 | 45 |
| Social classification:— Class I | 3 | 2 |
| Class II | 21 | 13 |
| Class III | 113 | 68 |
| Class IV | 18 | 11 |
| Class V | 11 | 6 |
| Not classifiable | 31 | — |
| Rooms occupied:— 2 or more rooms per person | 28 | 15 |
| 1— 2 rooms per person | 118 | 62 |
| Less than 1 room per person | 43 | 23 |
| No information | 6 | — |
| Accommodation:— Separate bed | 68 | 35 |
| Separate bedroom | 52 | 27 |
| Condition of premises occupied:— Good | 161 | 85 |
| Fair | 24 | 12 |
| Poor | 5 | 3 |
| No information | 5 | — |
*Excluding cases not classified
Food poisoning
The cases last year formally notified increased to 49, which was the
highest figure (by 1) since 1954. Again I must point out that the number
notified is probably incomplete as many cases are sufficiently mild
as not to require the attendance of a doctor.
The following is the annual return of food poisoning notifications
(corrected) as furnished to the Ministry of Health:—
(1) Food poisoning cases
Table 48
| Notifications (corrected) | Cases otherwise ascertained | Symptomless excreters | Fatal cases | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | 3 | - | - | - |
| 2nd quarter | 7 | 6 | — | 1 |
| 3rd quarter | 36 | — | 3 | — |
| 4th quarter | 21 | 1 | - | - |
| Year | 67 | 7 | 3 | 1 |