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 1953

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

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Table: BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. The bacteriological examination of clinical material (with the exception of sputum which is dealt with at the Chest Clinic) and foodstuffs suspected as being the cause of food poisoning was carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service, 134 Denmark Hill, S.E.5, until the 20th September, and after that date by the same Service at their laboratory at County Hall, Westminster Bridge, S.E.I. No charge is made to the Council for these examinations. During the year 209 examinations were made as follows:—

BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. The bacteriological examination of clinical material (with the exception of sputum which is dealt with at the Chest Clinic) and foodstuffs suspected as being the cause of food poisoning was carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service, 134 Denmark Hill, S.E.5, until the 20th September, and after that date by the same Service at their laboratory at County Hall, Westminster Bridge, S.E.I. No charge is made to the Council for these examinations. During the year 209 examinations were made as follows:—

DescriptionDiseaseNumber of Specimens or Food SamplePositive Results
FaecesDysentery16117
do.Thread Worm1Nil
Throat SwabsDiphtheria26Nil
FoodstuffsFood Poisoning211

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MASS X-RAY.
Visits by a Mass X-Ray unit of the South-West Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board were made in the Borough during 1953.
A unit was stationed at the Battersea Central Mission, York Road,
S.W.ll, during the period 27th January to the 25th February. A total
of 5,639 people (3,044 men and 2,595 women) were examined, 19 men
and 11 women were found to have radiologically significant lesions,
probably tuberculous, requiring investigation and were referred to
chest clinics.
In addition 10 men and 5 women were found to have lesions
probably of no clinical significance and were considered to merit only
an occasional follow-up film by the Mass X-Ray Service.
Later in the year a unit was stationed at the Battersea Town Hall
(Lower Hall) during the period 24th June to the 20th July. 3,891 people
(2,028 men and 1,863 women) were X-Rayed at this Centre. Of these
12 men and 5 women were found to have radiologically significant
lesions, probably tuberculous, and requiring investigation at a chest
clinic. In addition 11 men and 2 women were to be followed up with
an occasional film through the X-Ray Service.
Apart from the visits to the above two centres, a mobile unit
visited Battersea Polytechnic where 607 students and staff were X-Rayed.
CANCER.
During 1953 the number of deaths of Battersea residents from
Cancer was 242 (Males, 129; females, 113) as compared with 239 in
1952, 252 in 1951, 237 in 1950 and 269 in 1949. The death rate from
the disease per 1,000 of the population was 2.11. The deaths from
cancer constitute 16.4 per cent, of the total Battersea deaths during the
year.