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Action taken Cases
Further investigation of supervision
undertaken in respect of:-
(a) re-arrangement of existing
accommodation 24
(b) patients' occupations 12
(c) tracing of contacts 15
(d) precautions to prevent spread
of infection 16
Recommended for priority treatment in
rehousing 27
(Note. Nine tuberculous patients
were members of families found to
be overcrowded.)
Statutory action taken:-
(a) Written Intimation Notices 14.
(b) Underground rooms closed 1
Incidence of tuberculosis in Kensington amongst immigrants and
semi-permanent residents from areas outside the United Kingdom
where racial tuberculosis immunity is low
During 1951, it appeared that the incidence of tuberculosis
amongst such persons resident in, or moving to, Kensington was
high, and attention was focussed on this disturbing trend.
The information available for the year is not full enough to
present accurate statistics, but there is evidence to suggest
that this group may constitute almost as much as 20% of the
total number of persons added during the year to the Tuberculosis
Register, i.e. the total of new notifications and inward
transfers.
Arrangements have been made to pursue an investigation
of this problem during 1952 by obtaining, where possible,
accurate information of the origin and subsequent movements
of patients whose names are added to the Register of notified
cases in the borough.
Although the records for 1951 cannot provide an
unquestionable basis for assertion, there is enough evidence
to warrant the sounding of a general note of warning to
immigrants (not bona fide holiday makers) who might be well
advised to consider the advisability of securing an acquired
immunity to tuberculosis by B.C.G. vaccination.
Mass Radiography
Since the 5th July, 1948, mass radiography has been
undertaken by Regional Hospital Boards.
On four occasions in 1951 the North-West Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board provided facilities for mass
radiography of the general public at premises in Kensington.
The number of persons examined totalled 6,291.
The following table gives a summary of the results
obtained