Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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5
GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Housing
Representation of unfit premises under Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1936,
has remained in abeyance during 1942, but there has been a substantial increase in
the number of applications for preferential consideration for rehousing on the
Council's estates on grounds of ill-health. Appropriate recommendations were
made thereon to the Council's valuer.
Tuberculous milk
Milk sampling for the presence of tubercle bacilli has continued throughout the
year, and 32 (4'4 per cent.) of 734 completed examinations of milk showed the
presence of tubercle bacilli. No sample of tuberculin-tested milk (of which 8 were
taken) yielded a positive result. Accredited milk showed a ratio of 4.5 per cent.,
and ungraded milk of 4.4 per cent. positive.
During the five years 1937-41, 1,446 samples of accredited and 5,119 of ungraded
milk were examined; 9.9 per cent. of the former and 6.6 per cent. of the latter
were found to be tuberculous.
The milk sampled in 1942 was received from 13 counties; 18 cows were dealt
with under the Tuberculosis Order, 1938. The source of infection was traced in
53.1 per cent.
Venereal diseases
The work of the clinics and hostels included in the London and Home Counties
Scheme for the free diagnosis and treatment of venereal diseases has, owing to the
lull in enemy air-raids, proceeded under more normal conditions than in 1940 and
1941, and there has been no further reduction on account of enemy action in the
facilities afforded. Endell Street Clinic, formerly part of St. Paul's Hospital, was
officially taken over by the Council on 9th March.
Work
carried out at
the clinics
The following is a summary of work done at the London clinics for all areas from 1936:—
Year | New cases | Total venereal cases | Total non-venereal cases | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Syphilis | 8. Chancre | Gonorrhœa | ||||||||
M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
Continued from previous page...
Year | Total attendances | In-patient days | Pathological examinations for | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M. | F. | M. | F. | Clinic | Practitioners | |
Service
patients
During the year 653 service patients attended the clinics in the Scheme; 2,566
service attendances were made at the centres and 11,359 service pathological tests
were carried out in the approved laboratories.