View report page

Tuberculosis.
Details of the work carried out during 1916 at the two Dispensaries*
connected with the Lambeth Municipal Tuberculosis
Dispensaries Scheme are to be found in the Appendix in the form
of fables I. to V., prepared by the Tuberculosis Officers at the Branch
Dispensary (St. Thomas's Hospital), and the Central Dispensary
(73, Effra Road), respectively, dealing with the clinical work,
together with an Addendum by the Medical Officer of Health,
who is the Chief Executive Tuberculosis Officer under the Scheme,
dealing with the administrative work.
The distribution of Tuberculosis as a disease throughout the
Borough during 1916, can be gauged from the official notifications
that have been received under the Public Health (Tuberculosis)
Regulations, 1912, which came into force on Ist February, 1913,
making all cases of tuberculosis (both pulmonary and other forms)
compulsorily notifiable. The notifications received during 1916 are
set out in Table H, specially prepared for the Local Government
Board, and in the extra Tables H 1 and H 2, dealing with (a) Wards
and (b) Registration Sub-Districts respectively.
In each case notified, from whatever source, a visit is paid,
unless the medical man is of opinion that such an official visit is
undesirable, leaflets are distributed, instructions are given as to
simple precautionary measures to be taken, and disfection is carried
out as required, but with due regard to privacy, special instructions
being given to the officers to avoid doing anything likely to cause
pain or annoyance to the patients or their friends as the result of the
official action taken on notification.
Taking all the primary notifications of (a) tuberculosis (all forms)
and (b) pulmonary tuberculosis (consumption or phthisis) received
during 1916—totals of 1,298 and 904 respectively, the incidences
upon the Inner and the Outer Districts (Registration Sub-Districts
and Wards), are as follows (stated per 1,000 population) :—
(a) Tuberculosis (all forms).
1. Wards—
Inner—4.8, viz. : Marsh, 5.1 ; Bishop's, 5.6 ; Prince's
4.5 ; Vauxhall, 4.3.
Outer—4.2, viz. : Stockwell, 5.2 ; Brixton, 4.3 ; Heme
Hill, 3.9 ; Tulse Hill, 3.6 ; Norwood, 3.8.
* Dr. A. D. Serrell Cooke was appointed by the Council on February 17th,
1916, as temporary part-time Assistant Tuberculosis Officer at the Central Dispensary,
being attached to the Medical Officer of Health's Department, and
commenced his duties on July Ist, 1916, Dr. Eleanor Gorrie having carried
out the duties from November Ist, 1915, to June 30th, 1916, temporarily.