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
Kensington 1924
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1924
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25
The linking up of the Council's Dispensary with the Tuberculosis Wards of the St. Mary
Abbot's Hospital has proved of considerable value both from the curative and preventive aspect and,
on behalf of the Tuberculosis Officer and myself, I desire to thank Dr. Remington Hobbs, Medical
Superintendent of the Hospital, for the valuable assistance we have received from him and his
Assistant Medical Officers.
Dr. Picard's work has been attended with success and he has been loyally supported by the
Council's Officers, whether working in the Dispensary or visiting the homes of the patients.
The number of new cases seen at the Dispensary during the year, with the original diagnosis made, is shown in the following table:—
| Adults. | Children under 15 yrs. | Total. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. | ||
| Examined for first time | 182 | 296 | 207 | 181 | 866 |
| ("Contacts" included in above) | (58) | (123) | (96) | (96) | (373) |
| New cases with Respiratory Tuberculosis | 54 | 45 | 2 | — | 101 (11.6 per cent.) |
| New cases with Non-Respiratory-Tuberculosis | 3 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 37 (4.2 „ ) |
| New cases regarded as "Suspects" | 32 | 67 | 30 | 26 | 155 (17.9 „ |
| New eases not suffering from Tuberculosis | 93 | 180 | 158 | 142 | 573 (66.1 „) |
The total number of new cases, 860, shows a marked increase on the number for 1923, when
786 were seen. The increase affected equally original patients and "contacts."
There is a notable decrease in the percentage of definite cases (11.6 per cent) when compared
with last year's figure (14.3 per cent.).
The percentage of "suspects" and non-tubercular cases is increased. In the above table,
a "suspect," whether a "contact" or not, is a doubtful case which could not be diagnosed as
definitely tubercular or non-tubercular at the first examination.
The following table shows the subsequent disposal of (1) the 155 cases classed as "suspects" in the above table as a result of the first examination, and (2) the 26 cases appearing on the Dispensary books at the end of 1923 as "suspects."
| Diagnosed as suffering from respiratory tuberculosis | 15 |
| Diagnosed as suffering from non-respiratory tuberculosis | 4 |
| Discharged as non-tubercular | 108 |
| Discharged as having ceased attendance | 12 |
| Placed under domiciliary observation or referred elsewhere | 10 |
| Remaining on Dispensary books at the end of the year | 32 |
| 181 |
Cases were sent to the Dispensary through the following agencies:—the Public Health
Department of the Council, the Ministry of Pensions, the London County Council, Hospitals,
School Medical Officers, the Invalid Children's Aid Association, the Charity Organisation Society,
the Kensington Board of Guardians, the Red Cross Society and private practitioners. The number
of cases sent up by doctors increased from 89 in 1923 to 101.
The treatment recommended for the cases diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis, which
numbered 157 (116 pulmonary and 41 other forms), was as follows:—Sanatoria, 47; Hospitals, 17;
Domiciliary, 31; Dispensary, 34; St. Mary Abbot's Hospital, 7; Convalescent Homes, 4; Kensal
House School, 4. In 13, no treatment, beyond advice on rest, work, recreation, diet, etc., together
with observation of the progress of the case, was found necessary.
The .total number of attendances at the Dispensary during the year was 4,701, and the number
of systematic examinations was 2,040.
The number of home visits made by the Tuberculosis Officer was 101, and by the Women
Health Officers 2,441.
Reports on patients sent to Public Authorities numbered 1,625, and to private practitioners
3.29. The increasing use made of the Dispensary by doctors is seen in the growing number
of reports sent to them, which went up from 256 in 1923 to the above figure.