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
Greenwich 1922
The annual report made to the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich for the year 1922
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32
Late Notification and Non-Notification.—Of the total
deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis in 83 per cent, of the cases notification
had been previously made under the Regulations, whilst in
the remaining 17 per cent. it had not. This latter figure is a marked
improvement on the previous year, when it was 26 per cent.
The following Table shows the Death-Notification Interval of 120 patients who died in 1922 and whose deaths were ascribed to Pulmonary Tuberculosis :—
| Died before notification received | 21 |
| Died within one week of notification | 9 |
| one week to one month | 7 |
| one month to three months | 12 |
| three to six months | 20 |
| six to twelve months | 30 |
| one to two years | 16 |
| two to three years | 4 |
| three to four years | 1 |
| 120 |
There is no doubt but that many cases are not notified because
the Medical Attendant is under the impression that this has already
been done. Consumptive patients have a great tendency to move
about from doctor to doctor. Non-notification from this source
might be obviated if medical men were asked to notify every case
they were called to attend.
In a few instances, especially in " well-to-do " districts, notification
is objected to by the relatives, but a " Confidential Notification,"
with a request that no visit be made by any Public Health Official,
would meet the case, the Medical Attendant undertaking to see
that due precautions were taken to prevent infection.
Again, Hospitals and Institutions frequently fail to notify their
cases, the reason apparently being that it is not the special duty of
any one of the staff to inform the Public Health Department. During
the ensuing year it is proposed to ask medical men to notify
every case they attend and, as in past years, reminders will continue
to be sent to both medical men and institutions upon failure to
notify.
During the year 141 persons died from Tuberculosis (all forms),
giving a death rate of 1.38 per 1,000 population; 120 deaths were
due to the Pulmonary Form, or a rate of 1.18 per 1,000.