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 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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Occupation of Consumptive Persons—continued.
| Occupation. | Cases | Deaths. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females | Males. | Females. | |
| Sawyer | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| School boy, girl (elementary) | 34 | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| School master, mistress | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Shop assistant, shop keeper | 11 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Soldier, or wife of | 5 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Son or daughter of artizan or labourer above school age | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Steward | — | — | 1 | — |
| Street singer | 1 | — | — | — |
| Surveyor | 1 | — | — | — |
| Tailor, tailoress | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Tin plate woiker | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Tobacco manufacturer - | 1 | — | — | — |
| Trunk maker | — | — | 1 | — |
| Tubeman | — | — | 1 | — |
| Typist | — | 3 | — | 1 |
| Unspecified occupations | 3 | 6 | 4 | 13 |
| Upholsterer | 1 | — | 2 | — |
| Valet | 1 | — | — | - |
| Waitress | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Watchmaker | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Wife or daughter of tradesman, artizan or labourer | — | 88 | — | 28 |
| Totals | 249 | 252 | 98 | 91 |
Preventive Measures.—The measures to be adopted for the prevention of phthisis may be
classified as direct and indirect. The prevention of overcrowding in homes and in workshops, the
provision of adequate light and ventilation, and the closing or demolition of insanitary houses may
be mentioned as examples of action which have no doubt been indirectly responsible for the decrease
in the death-rate of phthisis which has occurred in the last twenty years. The following description
of the action taken by those who deal directly with existing centres of infection, must accordingly
be understood to apply to a part only of the preventive work which is carried out in the Borough.
Work of the Lady Sanitary Inspectors.—For the purpose of making inquiries, offering
assistance and giving advice, 592 first visits and 959 revisits were paid by the Lady Inspectors
to the homes of the consumptive persons who were notified to the Public Health Department
during the year. In addition, 110 first visits and 151 revisits were paid for inquiry into cases of
tuberculosis other than pulmonary. For the sake of brevity, the action taken during the year for
the prevention of consumption may be summarised in tabular form as follows: —
I.—The Number of Visits paid, during the year.
a. First visits after notification (pulmonary) 592
b. Subsequent visits 959
c. First visits to other cases of tuberculosis 110
d. Subsequent visits 151
Total visits paid during the year 1,812
II.—Provision for Home Treatment.
Bedsteads and bedding lent 14
III.—Disinfection after Death or Removal to Hospital.
Cases where bedding, etc., was disinfected by steam 194
Number of rooms disinfected 279
Number of rooms stripped 3
IV.—Children attending the elementary schools and notified to the
Medical Officer (Education), London County Council, as living
in contact with consumptive persons 239
V.—Specimens of Sputum from suspects examined bacteriologically
by the Lister Institute at the expense of the Council 113