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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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62
During 1937 there was again an increase in the number of new cases notified as compared with
1936, and the following graph shows the general trend since 1926.
The following table gives the age and sex distribution of the cases notified for the first time during the year, and the age and sex distribution of the deaths during the year:—
| New cases. | Deaths. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory. | Non-respiratory | Respiratory. | Non-respiratory | |||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| 0-1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1-5 | 3 | — | 6 | 2 | — | - | 1 | 1 |
| 5-15 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 13 | - | - | 2 | - |
| 15-25 | 22 | 38 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 8 | - | 1 |
| 25-35 | 29 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 35-45 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 45-55 | 16 | 6 | 1 | — | 12 | 7 | 1 | - |
| 55-65 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 65 and over | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | — | 1 |
| Totals | 99 | 90 | 19 | 28 | 58 | 56 | 9 | 7 |
When the above table is compared with last year's figures, it shows there has been a definite
increase in the number of new cases in the male age groups 15-25 and 25-35 years. In the females
there is also an increase in the age group 15—25 years. There is no doubt that this increase in the
number of notifications is partly accounted for by the more thorough investigation of illness, with
the result that many cases hitherto undiagnosed are being found, by the application of modern
methods, to be tuberculous; and partly by the epidemic of influenza in the early part of the year
which brought new cases to our notice. Contact examination also brings to light a certain number of
cases, especially in the latter years of life, which would probably have otherwise remained unrecognised.
The discovery of these cases, although increasing the number of notifications, brings to light reservoirs
of infection from which the younger members of the community may be infected ; it makes it possible
for the patients to be segregated and so removes the risk of infection to others.