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Deaths have fallen from 52 in 1952, 49 in 1953, to 26 in 1954,
which represents a rate of 14 per 100,000. An analysis of the
deaths shows that of the 17 males who died, 16 were over 45 and
7 of the 8 females were under 45. There was one death in an
infant, not from meningitis but from an obscure, possibly
tuberculous, broncho-pneumonia. The death rate cannot be
expected to go on showing this fall as long as new notifications
among men over 45 remains high. Moreover, prolonged chemotherapy
is now given in many instances to people in the older
age groups, with the aim of rendering them sputum negative and
thus lessening their danger to the community as well as improving
their clinical condition.
There is comparatively no waiting time for admission to a
sanatorium. A number of patients, however, have to wait at
home before admission for surgical treatment. On an average
this wait is three months, during which the patient usually
receives chemotherapy. As a consequence, nearly all patients
are sputum negative when they come to operation and undoubtedly
better results are obtained. Chemotherapy is also being
given to increasing numbers of patients who show some radiological
evidence of an extension of their original disease, but do
not have a positive sputum. It is also given to most of the
chronic cases who previously should have been in a sanatorium,
if only for segregation, but who refused to go. In an encouraging
number of instances these chronic cases have been rendered
sputum negative for very long periods and despite radiological
evidence of advanced disease they have been made sufficiently
well to be placed in work. This problem of the chronic sputum
positive case is at the centre of tuberculosis control today, and
the results obtained in Camberwell are most encouraging. At
any one time during the year over 100 patients were on chemotherapy.
At the end of the 1952 report attention was called to the
unsatisfactory working conditions at the Chest Clinic. It is a
pleasure to be able to report the the Regional Hospital Board
plans to alter part of St. Giles' Hospital into a new department.
With improved accommodation and better facilities, the work of
the department should increase even more, and the service given
be more worthy of the citizens of Camberwell.
My thanks are due to Dr. Chalke as Medical Officer of Health
and also as Divisional Medical Officer of the London County
Council for the help he and his staffs have given me, and also to
the various nursing associations who have undertaken some of
the domiciliary treatment.
Mass Radiography.
The Mass Miniature Radiography Unit made five public
surveys in the Borough during the year. Of the 7,525 men and