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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The following is a summary, for purposes of comparison, of certain sections of the foregoing table:—
| Metropolitan borough | Number of new cases examined per 100 deaths from tuberculosis in the borough | Number of contacts examined per 100 deaths from tuberculosis in the borough | Total attendances per case on register | Tuberculosis officers' visits per case on register | Nurses' visits per case on register | Number of definitely tubercular persons on dispensary register per 100 inhabitants | X-ray examinations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| per 100 new cases and contacts | per 100 new cases | |||||||
| Battersea | 347 | 129 | 3.7 | .2 | 4.2 | .57 | 19.8 | 27.1 |
| Bermondsey | 402 | 541 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 4.3 | .83 | 62.0 | 145.4 |
| Bethnal Green | 517 | 255 | 5.4 | .1 | 3.5 | .71 | 33.3 | 49.8 |
| Camber well | 234 | 291 | 3.1 | .36 | 5.1 | .68 | 33.5 | 75.2 |
| Chelsea | 1,110 | 336 | 6.7 | .17 | 10.4 | .55 | 64.0 | 183.3 |
| Deptford | 378 | 204 | 5.2 | .37 | 6.8 | .55 | 27.0 | 41.7 |
| Finsbury | 295 | 225 | 4.4 | .51 | 4.7 | .80 | 5.0 | 8.8 |
| Fulham | 490 | 164 | 5.2 | .5 | 3.7 | .54 | 18.3 | 24.4 |
| Greenwich | 320 | 161 | 3.7 | .27 | 4.4 | .68 | 31.1 | 46.5 |
| Hackney | 381 | 249 | 5.1 | .17 | 2.5 | .61 | 28.1 | 46.5 |
| Hammersmith | 209 | 228 | 3.3 | .41 | 6.1 | .54 | 26.2 | 48.5 |
| Hampstead | 450 | 155 | 5.1 | .09 | 4.9 | .25 | 34.8 | 46.6 |
| Holborn | 227 | 100 | 4.1 | .15 | 4.9 | .66 | 49.4 | 71.2 |
| Islington | 223 | 126 | 5.8 | .3 | 5.2 | .41 | 39.6 | 62.0 |
| Kensington | 290 | 302 | 2.9 | .14 | 2.8 | .41 | 4.8 | 9.7 |
| Lambeth | 350 | 246 | 4.4 | .52 | 2.8 | .55 | 84.5 | 144.1 |
| Lewisham | 225 | 107 | 2.7 | .38 | 2.1 | .43 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Paddington | 840 | 172 | 7.5 | .5 | 4.9 | .75 | 20.1 | 24.2 |
| Poplar | 484 | 331 | 7.0 | .47 | 6.3 | .57 | 21.8 | 36.7 |
| St.. Marylebone | 330 | 154 | 5.5 | .22 | 3.7 | .54 | 11.9 | 17.4 |
| St. Pancras | 226 | 56 | 3.9 | .10 | 5.6 | .37 | 15.4 | 9.2 |
| Shoreditch | 624 | 293 | 6.3 | .21 | 4.4 | .73 | 20.2 | 29.7 |
| Sonthwark | 177 | 154 | 4.4 | .48 | 6.0 | .36 | 11.5 | 21.6 |
| Stepney | 344 | 295 | 3.7 | .13 | 2.7 | .81 | 13.4 | 24.9 |
| Stoke Newington | 442 | 309 | 5.6 | .44 | 4.8 | .41 | 12.5 | 21.2 |
| Wandsworth | 348 | 100 | 3.8 | .20 | 2.8 | .38 | 7.9 | 10.2 |
| Westminster | 326 | 123 | 3.2 | .12 | 5.1 | .52 | 13.0 | 18.0 |
| Woolwich | 585 | 310 | 4.9 | .60 | 5.5 | .61 | 36.7 | 56.2 |
| Average | 358 | 210 | 4.6 | .34 | 4.3 | .54 | 28.9 | 43.1 |
The tuberculosis contact scheme was put into operation on 1st April, 1925,
and provides :—
(a) for the removal of children from heavily infected and overcrowded
homes occupied by a member of the family suffering from advanced tuberculosis.
(b) for the boarding-out of children who cannot otherwise be satisfactorily
provided for while their mothers are undergoing residential treatment for
tuberculosis.
With regard to (b), it is also found that the boarding-out of children is sometimes
necessary in cases where the patient is a widower.
The scheme is carried out through the Invalid Children's Aid Association,
who secure suitable homes, make all arrangements for the admission and discharge
of children referred to them by the county medical officer of health, and keep them
under supervision during the time they are boarded out. The Association also
arrange for the homes to be periodically inspected. There is no lower age limit
and young infants are sometimes sent away under the scheme, although considerable
difficulty has always been experienced in finding suitable homes for infants under
twelve months of age. The elder children are mainly sent to capable foster-mothers
in the country. If possible, foster-mothers are selected who have some experience of
nursing. The very young infants are sent to babies' hostels in London as it is found
that they are readily susceptible to illness and treatment is frequently necessary.
Tuberculosis
contact
scheme.