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
City of Westminster 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Tuberculosis in children under 15 years of age.
Death rates under 1 calculated per 1,000 births; between 1 and 5 years and 5 and 15 years, per 1,000 on numbers estimated to be living during those periods.
| 1901-5. | 1906-10. | 1911-15. | 1916-20. | 1921-24. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meningitis. | |||||
| Under 1 | 2.16 | 2.41 | 1.26 | 1.61 | 0.55 |
| 1 to 5 years | 1.65 | 1.42 | 1.38 | 0.62 | 0.48 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0.18 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 015 |
| Abdominal. | |||||
| Under 1 | 1.54 | 0.78 | 0.45 | 0.58 | 0.55 |
| 1 to 5 years | 0.42 | 0.48 | 0.32 | 0.18 | 0.10 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Pulmonary. | |||||
| Under 1 | 0.37 | — | 0.18 | 0.46 | 0.13 |
| 1 to 5 years | 0.41 | 0.28 | 0.29 | 0.54 | 0.05 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0.36 | 0.18 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.01 |
| Other parts of body and general tuberculosa 8. | |||||
| Under 1 | 1.23 | 1.49 | 0.90 | 0.58 | 0.27 |
| 1 to 5 years | 0.54 | 0.61 | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.05 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.01 |
| Total from Tuberculosis. | |||||
| Under 1 | 5.30 | 4.68 | 2.80 | 3.22 | 1.52 |
| 1 to 5 years | 3.04 | 2.72 | 2.20 | 1.60 | 0.76 |
| 5 to 15 years | 0.69 | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.52 | 0.26 |
There are two sources of infection in children, one from human sources,
the other from tuberculous milk. Human infection (except in infants of
tuberculous mothers, dying soon after birth) results from contact with
other cases in the home, and to want of care as regards the sputum.
Had there been the amount of overcrowding and bad housing conditions
in Westminster which have been alleged to exist the effect would have
been seen very promptly in the figures for 1921.24.
Bacteriologists state that in cases in which the tubercle bacillus has
entered the body by the intestinal tract, 80 per cent, were of bovine
origin. In other forms of the disease infection of human origin predominates.
Some reduction has been effected in the amount of tuberculous
milk coming to London, but probably the improved figures for
the last four years may be attributed to a considerable extent to the
greater use of pasteurised milk (a large proportion of the milk coming to
London has been so treated), dried milk and also of Grade A milk.
If the theory be correct that the pulmonary tuberculosis of adult life
is, in most instances, but the final stage of a disease begun in early childhood,
the reduction shown in the above figures is one of great importance,
and the future should show a progressive improvement as the children of
to-day reach and pass through adult life.
(3692)q
E