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
Battersea 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough.
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118
Group T.B. Plus is sub-divided under three headings:—
Group I—early cases.
Group II—intermediate cases.
Group III—advanced cases.
The table shows the age period of the new patients.
Table I. Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
| Years. | 0-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-25 | 25-35 | 35-45 | 45-55 | 55-65 | over 65 | Total. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group T.B. minus | — | 2 | 2 | 28 | 13 | 2 | 7 | — | 1 | 55 | ||
| Group T.B. plus | Group I | — | — | — | 13 | 8 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 29 | 167 |
| Group ii | — | — | 1 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 79 | ||
| Group iii | — | — | 1 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 59 | ||
| Total | — | 2 | 4 | 85 | 50 | 38 | 34 | 6 | 3 | 222 | ||
Table II. Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
| Years. | 0-5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-25 | 25-35 | 35-45 | 45-55 | 55-65 | over 65 | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bones and Joints | — | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 9 |
| Abdominal | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
| Peripheral Glands | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 19 |
| Skin and Other Organs | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Total | 4 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 36 |
From the above two tables it will be seen that the incidence of
Tuberculosis both in the pulmonary and non-pulmonary groups
is very much higher in the young adult age period between the ages
of 15 and 25 years than in any other period. It is also in this age
period that the highest mortality occurs. In young adults the
disease is more frequently of the acute actively progressive type.
It is, in my opinion, at this period of life that the value of "contact"
examination is most useful, but unfortunately, the young adult
is most unwilling to offer himself or submit to examination. I think
there can be little doubt that the strain of work, coupled in some
cases with the disregard of nature's laws of health, is responsible
to a large extent for the onset of pulmonary Tuberculosis at this
time of life.