London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Bermondsey 1922

Report on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey for the year 1922

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on the list several times in the course of a year. Such re-appearance
of the same address is not surprising, in view of the fact that if more
than one member of a family is suffering from Tuberculosis, there
must be a separate notification for each member. But, arising out
of this observation the question has been asked, " Is it possible to
contract Tuberculosis merely through living in a house in which a
person suffering from the disease has previously lived ?" We are
told that there are "Cancer Houses"; is it possible that there are
also "Tuberculous Houses"? We know that the Tubercle Bacillus
has considerable powers of resistance to adverse influences. It can
exist in a dry state in dust for as long as two months. It has been
shown that the Bacillus can be recovered from the wall paper of a
room inhabited by a phthisical person. On the face of it there is
no obvious reason why the answer to the question should not be in
the affirmative; but a little consideration, however, shows that the
matter is by no means as simple as it looks. Assuming for a moment
that Tuberculosis can be contracted in this way, what facts must be
adduced to prove the assumption? It is necessary to consider the
following three points, and if, as a result of investigation, one or
more houses can be found to comply with the conditions, a strong
case will have been put forward to show that Tuberculosis may be
contracted by a person through merely living in an infected house.
(1) Three or more cases must have occurred in succession in the
same house. Two cases occurring in succession would
not be sufficient evidence, because Tuberculosis is so
widespread that this might merely be a coincidence.
The cases must occur in succession, i.e., two cases must
not have lived in the house together, because otherwise
the second person notified might have contracted the
disease from the first person.
(2) Each person must:—
(a) Have been free from Tuberculosis, as far as is known,
on taking up residence in the house.
(b) Have no family history of the disease.
(c) Have no other known source of infection.