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

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Kensington 1931

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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61
Artificial Pneumothorax Treatment.
During the year the council undertook to pay for artificial pneumothorax treatment in 11
cases, and the payments amounted to £68 5s. 0d.
Home Nursing.

The cases of tuberculosis attended and the visits paid by the nurses of the Kensington District Nursing Association during the past five years are shown in the following table:—

Year.Cases.Visits.
192722804
192823901
1929281,327
193018946
193116394

The nurses carry out their work splendidly and are very much appreciated by the poor.
Supply of Extra Nourishment to Tuberculous Persons.
Five persons received extra nourishment during the year. The total amount supplied was
55 pints of milk and 55 new laid eggs, at a cost to the council of £1 17s. 3d.
Arrangements for "Care" and "After Care."
In July, 1922, the council approved a proposal for the constitution of a borough tuberculosis
care committee, and this committee, which commenced its activities in December of that year,
undertakes all the "care" and "after-care" work in the borough.
Arrangements for Finding Employment.
The difficulties of a care committee in securing work for persons whose physical capacity is
limited will be readily appreciated, but every effort is made in this matter.
In some instances the intervention of the tuberculosis care committee has resulted in employers
holding open the positions of men about to undergo sanatorium treatment.
Handicrafts Class.
The handicraft class formerly held, but abandoned at the end of 1929 owing to the difficulty
in maintaining satisfactory attendance, has been revived under the auspices of the Central Fund
for the Industrial Welfare of Tuberculous Persons, who invited joint action by the boroughs of
Paddington, St. Marylebone and Kensington.
A class for glove making was started in October. Meetings are held weekly at the Paddington
tuberculosis dispensary, No. 20, Talbot Road.
It is too early to speak about success, particularly in view of past experience, but it is hoped
that a permanent class will result.
At the end of the year the tuberculosis officer for Paddington reported that several pairs
of quite good gloves had been completed and the makers were to receive a few shillings for their
efforts. The Central Fund appear to think the scheme worth pursuing, at any rate for a while,
and are commencing a further course of 12 lessons when the present course is finished.
Ten patients were sent from Kensington, but many have not attended regularly. New patients
have however been enrolled, and the defaulters have been visited to encourage them to persevere.
The Kensington borough council disinfects all gloves made by exposing them to formalin
vapour, which has been shown by experiment to be completely effective as a sterilizer without
injuring the texture or colour of the gloves.
Provision of Shelters at the Homes of Patients.
The council are prepared to loan shelters and they keep several in readiness at their Wood
Lane depot but, at the present time, none is in use.
Provision of Bedding for Home Isolation.
At the present time there are eight patients to whom bedsteads and bedding are being
loaned. In four of these the assistance was given for the first time during the past 12 months, the
articles issued being as follows:—
Bedsteads 4
Bolsters 4
Pillow-slips 14
Blankets 9
Mattresses 4
Pillows 5
Sheets 13
Quilts 4
Mattress covers 4