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7
Another important new provision gives a Local Authority (or its Medical
Officer of Health) power to prevent known carriers of disease from entering
employment involving handling of food.
Tuberculosis
This is the first full year during which there has been no statutory
obligation for the Medical Officer of Health to keep a tuberculosis register or
to notify transfer of cases from one district to another. Despite this the
arrangements previously in force have continued to operate on a voluntary basis
so that it is considered that the register maintained is approximately accurate.
The number of cases on the register on 31st December, 1953, was 1,649 a
decrease of 33 on the previous year
There were 163 new cases of tuberculosis notified during 1953 (143 pulmonary
and 20 non-pulmonary) compared with 172 in 1952 (163 pulmonary and 16 nonpulmonary.
)
There has been no visit this year to Tottenham of the Mass Radiography
Unit, but facilities for miniature radiography are now available at the Chest
Clinic for four sessions per week without prior appointment.
Environmental reports in respect of tuberculous patients which are
regularly received from the Chest Clinic are carefully studied, and where it
appears that action is possible by this department to eliminate any adverse
conditions, further visits are paid to see what steps can be taken in this
behalf. In addition, meetings have taken place between Officers of the Chest
Clinic and the Area and Borough Health Departments to discuss environmental
problems which from time to time arise,