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
Willesden 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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80
In only 104 of these cases in which the patient slept
alone in a separate room can the sleeping accommodation be
said to be entirely satisfactory. In 181 cases in which the
patient had a separate bed the condition may be said still to
be satisfactory. In all other cases, namely, 117 out of 298,
or 39.2 per cent., the sleeping accommodation was not satis
factory, in so far as it involved a definite risk to those
sharing the same bed.
Housing Accommodation.— At the time of notification
one patient was living in a common lodging house, 30 in
institutions, 229 in tenement houses, 74 in self-contained
flats or separate houses, and no information was obtained
in 82 cases. The following Table, No. 44, gives the housing
accommodation and the number of persons per room as
regards the 350 cases in respect of which information is
available:—
Table No. 44.
| Size of House. | No. of Tuberculosis Cases occupying houses of size shewn. | No. of Persons in these houses. | Average No. of Persons per room. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 room | 15 | 34 | 2.27 |
| 2 rooms | 45 | 179 | 1.99 |
| 3 „ | 141 | 679 | 1.60 |
| 4 „ | 82 | 411 | 1.25 |
| 5 „ | 26 | 142 | 1.09 |
| 6 „ | 22 | 126 | 0.95 |
| 7 „ and over | 19 | 108 | 0.81 |
From the above Table, No. 44, it will be noted that
the smaller the house in which a tuberculosis patient lives
the greater the chance of infection of others, as shewn by
the greater average number of persons per room.
Health of Contacts.— In connection with the enquiries
made by health visitors, the health of those associated with