Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1922
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Fifty-one, 21 adults and 30 children under fifteen years of age, responded
to this invitation and were examined for the first time during the year 1922. Of
these, five, namely three adults and two children. were found to be suffering from
pulmonary tuberculosis; two, both children, from non-pulmonary tuberculosis.
Forty-three were definitely diagnosed as not suffering from the disease and one
remained doubtful at the end of the year. The routine examination of contacts
is desirable as a means of discovering not only cases of tuberculosis in early stages
of infection, but also advanced and infective cases which may be disseminating
infection although remaining undiscovered and untreated.
Arrangements were made during the year for fuller co-operation with the
school medical services so as to ensure that no contacts of school age will remain
unexamined; if such examination cannot be carried out at the Dispensary the
School Medical Officers are notified so that the examination may be carried out at
the school. Information as to the results of such examinations, whether at the
Dispensary or the schools is interchanged as necessary.
Prevention of Spitting.
The necessity for the prevention of spitting, with a view to minimising the
spread of tuberculosis has been emphasised by the issue of warning cards on the
subject. These have been exhibited in the various buildings in the control of the
Council also in common lodging houses. In order to secure wider publicity for
this card a number of large firms in the Borough were invited to exhibit them.
Fifty-eight firms agreed to do so and the necessary supply of cards were furnished
to them for the purpose.
Deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
The number of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis during the year was
forty-three, a death rate of 1.00 per thousand in comparison with 0.96 for 1921.
The following Table shows where the patients died in their own homes or
institutions: —
0- | 1- | 6- | 10- | 1.-- | 20- | 25- | 35- | 45- | 55- | 65- | All Ages. | |||
Males. | Females. | Total. | ||||||||||||
Number of patients who died at home | ... | ... | ... | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 11 | ||
Number of patients who died in hospitals, ete. | ... | ... | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 10 | 32 | |
— | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 28 | 15 | 43 |
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