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

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Greenwich 1925

The annual report made to the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich for the year 1925

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Notification and deaths from Pulmonary Tuberclosis, with the Incidence and Death Rates for the previous five years, are recorded below:-

Year.NotificationsIncidence per 1,000DeathsDeath Rate per 1,000
19193002.91411.35
19202642.51201.14
19212632.61191.18
19222182.11201.18
19232132.081151.12
19242142.041041.00

Deaths from Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis, of which there were
13 (equal to a rate of .12 per 1,000) included 8 Meningitis, 3 of Abdominal
Tuberculosis, and 2 other parts.
The 47 (corrected) Notifications of non-pulmonary Tuberculosis
included
3 cases of General or Miliary Tuberculosis.
26 ,, Tuberculosis of the Glands (Neck).
4 „ „ „ Spine.
7 „ ,, ,, Joints.
2 ,, ,, ,, Abdomen.
4 ,, ,, ,, Brain (Meningitis).
1 „ „ „ Skin.
In connection with this form of Tuberculosis, affecting chiefly
children, it is interesting to note that 36 of the 47 cases used condensed
milk almost exclusively. Many cases of Non-Pulmonary
Tuberculosis in children are regarded as due to infection by the
Bovine Bacillus as found in cow's milk. In mentioning this
subject of milk and Infection it may be interesting to state here that
perhaps the most important advance in Public Health Tuberculosis
legislation in recent years is contained in Section 4 of the Public
Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925, which reads as follows :—
" No person who is aware that he is suffering from tuberculosis
of the respiratory tract shall enter upon any employment or occupation
in connection with a dairy which would involve the milking of
cows, the treatment of milk, or the handling of vessels used for
containing milk."
This is a reform long called for and it is to be hoped that before
long the Section may be extended so as to prevent any one suffering
from Pulmonary Tuberculosis from taking any part in the handling
not only of milk but of all food.
The regulation of course removes the protection hitherto
afforded to sufferers from Tuberculosis by which their notification
of disease was not allowed in any way to affect their employment,
but it must be realised that the protection of the public must always