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
Deptford 1914
Annual report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford
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In the following table will be seen the number of cases notified during each of the four quarters and the ages and sex of the patients.
| WARDS | QUARTERS. | YEAR. | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March. | June. | Sept. | Dec. | |||||||||||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | Total. | ||||||
| East | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | 5 | 11 | 14 | 25 | |||||
| North | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 6 | 11 | 17 | |||||
| North-West | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | l | — | 8 | 8 | 16 | |||||
| South | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | l | — | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||
| South-East | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | l | — | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||
| South-West | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 11 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 33 | 41 | 74 | |||||
| AGES OF PATIENTS NOTIFIED. | ||||||||||||||||
| Under l | 1-5 | 5-15 | 15-25 | 25-45 | 45-65 | 65 & upwards. | All Ages. | |||||||||
| 6 | 19 | 23 | 12 | 12 | 2 | — | 74 | |||||||||
Tuberculosis.
Previous reports have dealt with the establishment and the value of
a municipal tuberculosis dispensary, which we have had in the borough
since 1911, when we had the honour of establishing the first municipal
dispensary in the metropolis. I do not propose in this report to
reiterate the same points, but to give you an account of the things we
have learnt from the notification and supervision of those suffering from
the disease.
I have come to one definite conclusion, namely, that it may become
physically possible for the working classes to avoid infection to at least
the same extent as it is now possible for the rich. This is to be brought
about by—(l) The help that social science can give to the prevention
of infection by tubercle through material help, education and moral
influence. (2) Improvement of housing accommodation and town
planning, so that open spaces are secured and sunlight admitted to
every house. (3) By adequate wages and improvement in working
conditions.
By educating the public we may persuade them to avail themselves
of such possibilities, but all these will fail unless there also grows a