London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Woolwich 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
This page requires JavaScript
Tuberculosis. The number of primary notifications of tuberculosis was 256,
an increase of 24 on the previous year's total. Of the total number of notifications,
224 were in respect of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. There were 59 deaths
from tuberculosis during the year as against 82 in 1948. Of the 59 deaths, 55 concerned
cases of respiratory tuberculosis.
The following table shows the number of notifications, deaths and death rates for the Borough since 1940:—
Table No. 15.
Table of Notifications and Deaths compared with Population.
| Year. | Civilian Population excluding Army. | Primary Notifications. | Deaths from Tuberculosis. | Deaths per 1,000 of population. | Total Deaths all causes. | Percentage of Tuberculosis Deaths against all Deaths. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 124,340 | 230 | 115 | .92 | 1,854 | 6.2 |
| 1941 | 103,630 | 258 | 127 | 1.22 | 1,627 | 7.8 |
| 1942 | 110,140 | 249 | 102 | .92 | 1,410 | 7.2 |
| 1943 | 112,700 | 292 | 102 | .90 | 1,558 | 6.5 |
| 1944 | 110,970 | 248 | 100 | .90 | 1,611 | 6.2 |
| 1945 | 115,270 | 260 | 90 | .70 | 1,478 | 6.0 |
| 1946 | 134,420 | 247 | 83 | .61 | 1,531 | 5.4 |
| 1947 | 140,150 | 297 | 101 | .72 | 1,626 | 6.2 |
| 1948 | 142,800 | 230 | 82 | .57 | 1,573 | 5.2 |
| 1949 | 144,000 | 256 | 59 | .41 | 1,572 | 3.7 |
During the first quarter of 1949, the mobile unit for mass miniature radiography
visited the district and operated at St. Nicholas' Hospital and at the
Woolwich Arsenal. The Health Department assisted in this work and circularised
local firms inviting them to co-operate by allowing their employees to take advantage
of the facilities. Appointments were made by the department, the campaign was
widely advertised and the public responded well. Whilst the main object of this
examination was, of course, the early detection of tuberculosis, certain other
abnormalities may be detected.
The Council has duties under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations,
1930, concerned with measures for the prevention of tuberculosis, investigations of
sources of infection, supervision of the environment of tuberculous persons, together
with the keeping of the Notifications Register of all cases in the Borough. The
administration of the dispensaries at Eltham and Woolwich is now carried out by
the Regional Hospital Board.
The Work of the Dispensaries. I am indebted to Dr. E. V. Saunders.Jacobs,
the Chest Physician at the Clinics, for the following observations on the work carried
out during 1949.
The work carried out at the Clinics continues to increase, although there has
been little variation in the number of notifications, and a reduction in the number
of deaths. This increase in work is attributable to several factors, including the
greater awareness on the part of practitioners and the public of the desirability of
early investigation and diagnosis ; and the work of the mass radiography units.
Also, modern methods of treatment offer greater hope to patients. In addition
to the work at the clinics, the clinic staff undertook Artificial Pneumo.thorax refill
clinics at the St. Nicholas' Hospital and at the Brook Hospital. X.ray examinations
30