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 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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- 60 -
Residential particulars of other cases notified during the year:-
| Patients who had resided in London all their lives or for at least 10 years | |
| Patients who had resided in other parts of the country all their lives prior to coming to Kensington | 16 |
| Patients from whom information concerning origin was not obtained but where it is believed to be this country | 8 |
| Patients notified abroad before coming to this country (Ireland) | 2 |
| Patients who resided here at least 10 years prior to notification | 16 |
| Patients from whom information concerning origin could not be obtained | 50 |
| TOTAL | 138 |
The investigations only covered patients newly notified or
transferring into the borough from other areas. The total of 181 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
twenty 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
| Year | Proportion per cent | |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 16 | |
| 1953 | 10 | |
| 1954 | 16 | |
| 1955 | 17 | |
| 1956 | 15 | |
| 1957 | 16 | |
| 1958 | 23 | |
| 1959 | 20 | |
| I960 | 20 | |
| 1961 | 11 | |
| 1962 | 20 | |
| 1963 | 27 | |
| 1964 | 23 |
This year, 40 per cent (1963 - 26 per cent) of the infected
immigrants contracted the disease within one year of arrival in this
country; 77 per cent (1963 - 62 per cent) contracted it within three
years of arrival. Persons born in the Republic of Ireland were regarded
as immigrants for this purpose.