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 1963

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

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-76-

Table: In my annual Report for 1951, attention was drawn to what appeared to be a disturbing trend in the incidence of tuberculosis anongst immigrants. Since 1952, a more detailed investigation of this problem has taken place, and the following table sets out the information found in 1963:-

In my annual Report for 1951, attention was drawn to what appeared to be a disturbing trend in the incidence of tuberculosis anongst immigrants. Since 1952, a more detailed investigation of this problem has taken place, and the following table sets out the information found in 1963:-

Country of originPeriod (in years) between entry to U.K. and notification of diseaseTotal
12345678910
Nigeria2---------2
Spain2121------6
India22--------4
Ireland5-3411-12-17
South Africa2--2------4
West Africa--3--1----4
West Indies1422231---15
Hongkong---1-1----2
Russia-1--------1
China1--1------2
Hungary-1---1----2
Thailand-1--------1
Pakistan1-1-------2
Prance1---------1
Cyprus-1--------1
Portugal--1-------1
Germany-----1----1
British Guiana1---------1
Italy--1-------1
TOTAL1811131138112-68

Table: Residential particulars of other cases notified during the year:-

Residential particulars of other cases notified during the year:-

Patients who had resided in London all their lives or for at least 10 years30
Patients who had resided in other parts of the country all their lives prior to coming to Kensington25
Patients from whom information concerning origin was not obtained but where it is believed to be this country22
Patients notified abroad before coming to this country (Ireland)1
Patients who resided here at least 10 years prior to notification23
Patients from whom information concerning origin could not be obtained32
TOTAL133

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The investigations only covered patients newly notified or
transferring into the borough from other areas. The total of 201
cases surveyed differs from the total of tuberculous patients visited
in the year. The difference consisted of old cases changing
residence within the borough.
In 1951, a full survey was not made, but it was estimated
that 20 per cent of the tuberculous patients visited for the first
time in that year were immigrants who contracted the disease within
ten years of arrival in this country.
A more accurate investigation in the following years
indicated that, of the new cases and "inward transfers" reported in
the borough, the proportions who were immigrants contracting the
disease in the first ten years of arrival, were as follows:-