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52
During 1928 there were 161 deaths from Tuberculosis registered
as belonging to the Borough of Battersea. Of this number 138
[i.e. 85.7 per cent.) were due to pulmonary tuberculosis, 15 (i.e.
9.3 per cent.) to tubercular meningitis and 8 (i.e. 5.0 per cent.)
to other forms of the disease.
In 1927 the number of deaths from tubercular diseases was
175.
Of the 161 deaths registered from Tuberculosis during the year
25 cases were not notified until one month before death; in 10 cases
the notifications were received after death, and in 8 cases no
notification was received.
Of the 8 cases in respect of which no primary notification was
received 6 (3 pulmonary, 3 non-pulmonary) were patients who
died in hospitals or infirmaries. Of the remaining cases 1 (pulmonary)
was under treatment by a private medical practitioner, and
the other (pulmonary) was certified by the Coroner after a postmortem
examination.
In one un-notified case the death, being due to cancer and
miliary tuberculosis, was not ascribed to tuberculosis, and in a
further case originally notified as encephalitis lethargica, the death,
after a post-mortem examination, was ascribed to tuberculous
meningitis.
Of the 10 cases notified after death 2 (pulmonary) were notified
by private medical practitioners, 6 (2 pulmonary, 4 non-pulmonary)
from Poor Law Institutions and 2 (pulmonary) by hospitals.
Tuberculosis Dispensary.
The work of the Tuberculosis Dispensary was carried on with
the usual routine during 1928.
The acquisition by the Borough Council of Southlands College
has afforded—inter alia—an opportunity of the Council's providing
more suitable accommodation for the Borough Tuberculosis
Dispensary. Rooms on the first floor of that portion of the College
buildings reserved for Health Services of the Council were fitted up
and adapted for use as a Tuberculosis Dispensary, and include
waiting-room for patients, and rooms for Doctor, nurses, clerical staff,
laboratory, pharmacy, &c. The Dispensary is now housed in
commodious premises in a more suitable environment, and free from
the noise from the traffic, which was, among others, a disagreeable
and disturbing feature of the old premises in Bridge Road. The
rooms of the new premises are well lighted, airy, and commodious,
and from every point of view are a distinct improvement. The
only drawback is the absence of a lift, this provision in the planning
of the adapted premises having been eliminated by the Ministry
of Health. It is to be hoped that this omission will be