View report page

REPORT OF THE TUBERCULOSIS MEDICAL
OFFICER FOR THE YEAR 1923.
The Notification of Tuberculosis in Camberwell.
In a perfect system the number of Primary Notifications
of Tuberculosis in any year should represent the total
number of new cases of the disease in that year and should
thus be an index of increase or diminution of incidence. In
reality the number of primary notifications represents the
cases of tuberculosis that are discovered and after discovery
notified, Many new cases are not discovered, and many
although discovered are not notified. On the other hand,
cases are sometimes notified in which a reasonable
difference of opinion as to the diagnosis may exist.
In judging of the progress of anti-tuberculosis efforts
by a study of the number of new notifications errors
may creep into our calculations unless we remember these
factors. It may, moreover, happen that an increase in the
notification rate in an area is not an indication of an actual
increase of tuberculosis, but rather of an improvement in
the working of the local scheme. The number of primary
notifications of tuberculosis in all its forms in 1923 was
657. The number of primary notifications of pulmonary
tuberculosis was 505, and the number of primary notifications
of non-pulmonary tuberculosis was 152.
On Table I is given the number of primary notifications
of tuberculosis for 1921, 1922, 1923.
TABLE I. (CAMBERWELL).
Primary Notifications of Tuberculosis.
Year.
All Forms.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Other Forms.
1921
750
155
595
1922
653
506
147
1923
657
505
152
On Table II is given the primary notification rate (per
1,000 population of Camberwell) for the years 1921, 1922,
and 1923.
TABLE II. (CAMBERWELL).
Notification Rate (per 1,000 population).
Pulmonary
Tuberculosis.
Other
Forms.
Year.
Population.
All Forms.
1921
267,198*
2.80
0.58
2.22
1922
2.41
270,300a
1.87
0.54
1923
272,300a
2.40
1.85
0.55
* Census 1921. a Estimated.