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
Chislehurst 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chislehurst]
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67
Mass X-Ray.
The very close liaison between this department and Dr. J. M.
Morgan, the Director of the Mass X-Ray Unit of the South Eastern
Regional Hospital Board continues, and I am very grateful to him
and his staff especially for supplying me with the statistics upon
which the following information is based.
During the year 5,124 people were x-rayed, of whom 2,132
were men and 2,992 women. Of the grand total 2,201 had
previously taken advantage of this service.
Of the 75 abnormalities discovered, 36 required no action, and
19 were considered tuberculous. Of this latter group, 10 required
treatment, 8 needed occasional supervision only, and 1 refused
treatment. The remainder of the 75 consisted of non-tuberculous
chest conditions, cardiac abnormalities, and a few previously
known tuberculous cases.
The total number of people x-rayed is smaller than when the
unit previously visited the area (7,115), and every effort should be
made to publicise this very valuable service and encourage the
people to co-operate if we are to succeed in our aim of the
eventual elimination of the scourge of tuberculosis from our midst.
I am indebted to Dr. M. Price, Physician in Charge, for the following information:—
| Male. | Female. | Children. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of new patients referred to the Clinic | 255 | 272 | 306 | 833 |
| Number of new patients diagnosed as tuberculous | 38 | 38 | 5 | 81 |
| Number of Contacts diagnosed as tuberculous | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Number of persons vaccinated with B.C.G. | 201 | children. adults. | ||
| Number of refills given during the year | 2,652 |
The Evening Refill Clinic continues to be held on Tuesday
evenings in addition to the daytime diagnostic and refill sessions.
Typhoid and Para-Typhoid Fever.
One case of para-typhoid fever was notified during the year
and removed to hospital.
This case was part of an epidemic which occurred in the area
of an adjoining local authority and which was, I understand, due
to a carrier in a food premises. The patient visited the adjoining
district one week prior to commencing her illness, and partook of
food purchased from the food premises where the para-typhoid
carrier worked.