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
London County Council 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Ratio of
attendances.
29
Importance is attached to the necessity of securing the regular attendance of
patients at the clinics, more especially in the case of gonorrhcea, and efforts to secure
the requisite provision of facilities for intermediate treatment at times other than
during the hours of the clinic are meeting with considerable success. A number of
patients still fail to complete the full course of treatment considered necessary before
final discharge, due in no small measure to the false impression that a cure has been
effected on the disappearance of outward signs of the disease. The need for improving
conditions likely to cause patients to discontinue attendance at the clinics or to
transfer them from one clinic to another continues to receive careful attention.
Another point worthy of note is the total number of examinations made of pathological specimens. Comparative figures for the eleven years are shown in the following table:—
| Year. | Pathological examinations. | |
|---|---|---|
| For treatment centres. | For private practitioners | |
| 1917 | 13,988 | 3,649 |
| 1918 | 25,973 | 6,380 |
| 1919 | 51,554 | 10,464 |
| 1920 | 58,920 | 14,027 |
| 1921 | 66,134 | 18,472 |
| 1922 | 74,022 | 19,836 |
| 1923 | 69,784 | 24,403 |
| 1924 | 79,005 | 24,797 |
| 1925 | 106,064 | 26,346 |
| 1926 | 100,543 | 27,565 |
| 1927 | 107,512 | 27,046 |
Attention is also drawn to the very large number of non-venereal patients who
present themselves for examination. This appears to indicate quite clearly that the
general public is appreciating more and more the efforts which have been, and are
being made to spread far and wide a knowledge of the serious nature and grave
after effects of the venereal diseases.
country. Comparative figures for the eleven years during which the scheme has been in force are shown in the following table:-
| Year. | New cases. | Total. | Attendances. | In-patient, days. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venereal. | Non-venereal. | ||||
| 1917 | 13,025 | 2,360 | 15,385 | 120,659 | 63,923 |
| 1918 | 13,679 | 2,693 | 16,372 | 169,485 | 66,095 |
| 1919 | 23,147 | 5,118 | 28,265 | 307,722 | 73,211 |
| 1920 | 24,454 | 6,592 | 31,046 | 464,033 | 81,612 |
| 1921 | 19,368 | 6,050 | 25,418 | 496,209 | 79,692 |
| 1922 | 17,763 | 5,950 | 23,713 | 529,003 | 112,564 |
| 1923 | 19,006 | 6,644 | 25,650 | 555,509 | 106,662 |
| 1924 | 18,281 | 7,292 | 25,573 | 589,002 | 102,456 |
| 1925 | 17,502 | 8,680 | 26,182 | 646,131 | 102,454 |
| 1926 | 17,724 | 8,988 | 26,712 | 687,075 | 101,735 |
| 1927 | 18,801 | 10,164 | 28,965 | 767,278 | 112,413 |
Pathology
and bacterio-
logy.
The continued use made by medical practitioners of the facilities for the
examination of pathological specimens is highly satisfactory.
Under the Scheme, medical practitioners who fulfil certain conditions are entitled
to free supplies of the approved arsenobenzene compounds for the treatment of their
private patients. The number of medical practitioners availing themselves of this
15435 C