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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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60
THE COUNCIL'S SCHEME FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
OF TUBERCULOSIS.
| Adults. | Children under 15yrs. | Total. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. | ||
| Examined for first time | 225 | 307 | 158 | 137 | 827 |
| New cases with respiratory tuberculosis | 66 | 72 | 0 | 1 | 139 (16.8 per cent.) |
| New cases with non.respiratory tuberculosis | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 32 ( 3.8 „ ) |
| New cases regarded as " suspects " | 7 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 27 ( 3.2 „ ) |
| New cases not suffering from tuberculosis | 164 | 214 | 144 | 127 | 629 (76.0 „ ) |
This table shows a diminution of 34 in the number of respiratory cases seen at the dispensary
compared with last year. The total number of non.respiratory cases is 4 less than in 1932,
being 32 instead of 36.
The " suspects " are those cases remaining on the books at the end of the year whose diagnosis
has not been completed, and do not represent, as in former years, the total number of " suspect "
cases dealt with during the year.
There were in addition 31 respiratory cases and 9 non.respiratory cases added to the dispensary
register during the year upon removal into the borough of patients from other districts, as
compared with a total of 35 for 1932.
Cases came to the dispensary of their own accord or were sent up through one of the following
agencies : the public health department of the council, the Ministry of Pensions, hospitals, school
medical officers, the Kensington public assistance department, the Invalid Children's Aid Association,
the Charity Organisation Society, clergy and private practitioners. Primary consultation cases
with the last named numbered 283.
The treatment recommended for the cases diagnosed at the dispensary as suffering from
tuberculosis, which numbered 171 (pulmonary 139 and non.pulmonary 32), was as follows :—
sanatoria, 110 ; domiciliary, 13 ; St. Mary Abbots and other hospitals, 41 ; dispensary, 7.
The total number of attendances by patients at the dispensary was 2,271, and 1,608 systematic
examinations were made.
The number of visits paid by the tuberculosis officer was 111, of which 55 were consultations
at home with the doctor in charge of the case.
Written reports on cases to public authorities numbered 1,816, and to doctors 433.
The total number of sputum examinations was 462 from 360 individual cases. One hundred
and nine specimens showed tubercle bacilli to be present, and 353 gave negative results.
| Pulmonary. | Non.pulmonary. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. | |
| No. of cases on the register of notifications on 1st January, 1933 | 332 | 331 | 161 | 176 |
| No. of cases notified for the first time during the year | 90 | 94 | 25 | 27 |
| No. of cases brought to notice otherwise than by notification | 28 | 22 | 7 | 4 |
| No. of cases removed from the register during the year on account of having :— | ||||
| 12 | 18 | 24 | 19 | |
| 53 | 70 | 16 | 21 | |
| (c) died | 76 | 64 | 5 | 6 |
| (d) been inaccurately diagnosed | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| No. of cases remaining on the register on 31st December, 1933 | 309 | 295 | 147 | 159 |