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Notified cases in common lodging-houses.—Inquiry has been made with regard to 272 persons
notified under the order and giving addresses at common lodging-houses licensed by the Council, viz. :
259 males and 13 females. The age-distribution of 262 of these cases was—
0— 5— 10— 15— 20— 25— 35— 45— 55— 65+
1 2 1 2 8 38 70 91 39 10
As the result of inquiry information was obtained in respect of 149 of the patients as to whether
their illness began before or after they had resorted to this mode of living.
Of the total (149) the onset of the illness was stated in 52 cases to date from a time prior
to that when resort was made to common lodging-houses, while in 10 other cases it was practically
coincident with entry.
As regards cases developing after commencement of this mode of life—in 30 cases the illness
was first manifested before the expiration of three years ; in 16 cases in from three to five years ;
in 22 cases between five and ten years ; in 14 cases between ten and twenty years; in five cases
the illness developed after more than twenty years of common lodging-house life.
Voluntary notification by hospital authorities.—During 1909 the Brompton Hospital supplied
the Council's medical officer with particulars of cases attending that hospital, where the patient gives
consent for this course to be adopted, and this information is communicated to the medical officers
of health concerned. This hospital included among its patients persons from all parts of London.
The age-distribution of 730 patients concerning whom information was thus received was as
follows :—

The maximum incidence of the disease among patients thus notified was upon age 25—, whereas
that among cases occurring in poor law practices was upon age 35—. The 730 Brompton Hospital
cases are, of course, but a sample of the whole of the cases treated by that institution, but the
comparison between their age-distribution and that of the cases occurring in poor law practices appears
to give indications that under the stress of poverty resort to poor-law medical assistance occurs at a
later stage of the disease, and hence the need for enquiry in the homes if any substantial effort is to be
made for the detection of cases in the early stage of the disease.
It is unnecessary to state here in any detail the steps which are taken in the London sanitary
districts for the prevention of this disease, as a full report on this subject by Dr. Wanklyn is appended
(see Appendix II.). Sanitary authorities are rendering useful service in undertaking the examination
of sputum for tubercle bacilli and in a number of reports information is given as to the number of
specimens examined and the results of the examination thus—

In reviewing the facts stated in the appended report, it cannot be said that in London
as a whole, any material effort was made to deal with this disease ; and especially was effort wanting
to detect early cases of phthisis and to provide for their subsequent treatment. It needs to be noted
that in Paddington, as the result of philanthropic effort, a dispensary has been instituted which is
rendering useful service in these directions and that in one or two other districts the provision of such
an institution is being undertaken ; but in the districts generally little was done to exercise the powers
conferred by the Order of the Local Government Board.
*During the current yearseven other London hospitals have agreed to adopt a similar course.
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