London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
69
It is pleasing to report that the slight rise in the number of deaths from tuberculosis which
occurred in 1936 and 1937 has ceased and there has been a considerable reduction in the total deaths
from respiratory tuberculosis.
Deaths from Tuberculosis in 1938 Allocated to District of Usual Residence of Patients.
| Respiratory tuberculosis. | Non-respiratory tuberculosis. | |
|---|---|---|
| The Borough | 93 | 13 |
| North Kensington | 60 | 12 |
| South Kensington | 32 | 1 |
| No fixed abode | 1 | - |
| Wards. | ||
| St. Charles | 29 | 6 |
| Golborne | 12 | 2 |
| Norland | 7 | 3 |
| Pembridge | 12 | 1 |
| Holland | 5 | — |
| Earl's Court | 8 | — |
| Queen's Gate | 4 | — |
| Redcliffe | 11 | 1 |
| Brompton | 4 | — |
The places where the deaths from tuberculosis occurred are set forth in the following list:—
| Respiratory tuberculosis. | Non-respiratory tuberculosis. | |
|---|---|---|
| Patient's home | 25 | 1 |
| St. Mary Abbots Hospital | 3 | — |
| St. Charles Hospital | 31 | 5 |
| Brompton Hospital | 3 | — |
| Other institutions | 31 | 7 |
Seventy-five per cent. of the deaths occurred whilst the patients were undergoing residential
treatment.
The Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis.
In the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis there is close co-operation between the London
county council and the borough council, the latter providing the dispensary service and the former
the residential treatment. In 1921 the borough council took over the duties of the North Kensington
Voluntary Dispensary Committee, which had been in operation since 1909. In 1923 the dispensary
service for South Kensington, carried out by Brompton Hospital, was discontinued, as it was
found difficult to co-ordinate the preventive work carried out by the borough council from two
dispensaries.
The services of the tuberculosis officer are available at the dispensary or at home consultations,
and the council's women tuberculosis health officers visit all notified cases at frequent intervals.
Some notified cases do not need or desire public medical treatment, and in these the medical
practitioner is communicated with and requested to supply information regarding the patient,
his environment, and what form of treatment he is receiving. This request is acceded to in
practically all cases, and a report is received every year on the patient's progress.
All statutory notified cases do not come under the tuberculosis scheme for treatment and
supervision, and only those cases receiving public medical treatment and supervision are entered
on the dispensary register; but it is gratifying to note that this register contains 87 per cent. of
all cases notified.