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 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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The work performed by the bacteriologist for the Council during the year 1930 was as follows:—
| Disease suspected. | Examinations. | Positive. |
|---|---|---|
| Diphtheria | 2,040 | 140 |
| „ (virulence test) | 4 | - |
| Tuberculosis (sputum) | 280 | 27 |
| „ (faeces) | 1 | - |
| „ (microscopical) | 1 | - |
| „ (cultural) | 1 | - |
| Typhoid fever (blood) | 22 | 2 |
| „ (faeces) | 12 | - |
| „ (urine) | 6 | - |
| Dysentery (faeces) | 7 | - |
| Gonorrhoea | 14 | 4 |
| Food poisoning (faeces) | 4 | - |
| ,, ,, (urine) | 6 | - |
| „ „ (meat store, plates) | 4 | - |
| „ „ (milk bottle washings) | 2 | - |
| Ringworm | 1 | - |
| Cerebro-spinal meningitis | 1 | - |
The following examinations were also carried out:—
| Milk (bacterial count) | 40 |
| „ (tubercle bacilli) | 24 |
| „ (fat estimation) | 6 |
| Beer (cultures) | 7 |
| Slime (cultures) | 3 |
| Waste-pipe (cultures) | 2 |
In addition to these examinations at the Kensington Laboratory, 503 specimens of sputum
were examined at the Tuberculosis Dispensary.
Cleansing of Verminous Persons.
The cleansing of verminous persons is carried out at the Medicinal Baths, Blechynden Mews.
In 1920 an agreement was entered into with the London County Council, which provided for
the use of the Medicinal Baths by the County Council for the cleansing of children attending
elementary schools in and around Kensington. This agreement has been modified from time to
time and at present the London County Council guarantee the Borough Council a minimum
payment of £400 per annum. Technically, in accordance with the provisions of the Children Act,
1908, children sent from the elementary schools are cleansed by the School Nurse in the employ
of the London County Council, who attends at the Station for the purpose, and is responsible
to her employers for the effective use of the apparatus provided. In practice, the actual work of
bathing and disinfecting garments is executed by the Borough Council's servants under the
supervision of the school nurse.
A further agreement in regard to the cleansing of verminous inmates of common lodging
houses was made with the County Council in 1920, in which the Borough Council have agreed to
cleanse verminous inmates from Kensington common lodging houses free of charge and to bath
those sent by the London County Council officers from common lodging houses in neighbouring
boroughs at a rate of 1/- per bath.
The cleansing of Kensington persons not sent by officers of the County Council is performed
free of charge under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health.
Arrangements have been made with the Councils of the neighbouring boroughs of
Paddington and Fulham for the cleansing of residents (other than school children and common
lodging-house cases) of those boroughs at the Medicinal Baths, on the recommendation and
under the responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health of the borough in which the persons
reside.
The Councils of these two boroughs have agreed to pay 1s. per bath and to indemnify the
Council of the Royal Borough against any claim which a Paddington or Fulham person may bring
in respect of any treatment given at the Medicinal Baths.
The record of work done at the Medicinal Baths during the year 1930 is as follows:—
| Scabies— | Total Cleansings. |
|---|---|
| Adults | 228 |
| School-children | 372 |
| Children under five years | 43 |