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
Deptford 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford Borough]
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7
Tuberculosis remains one of the most important of all diseases in this
country from an economic point of view. In many cases it is a chronic
disease and even if it does not kill it may cause a very prolonged absence
from work and more or less permanent disability. Moreover it commonly
attacks young adults when they have just started to be an economic asset
to the community.
The deaths due to respiratory tuberculosis in Deptford in 1951 were
32 males and 15 females as compared with 19 and 7 respectively during the
previous year. The excess of males is largely due to the presence of
Carrington house, a common lodging house for men with upwards of
800 beds, situated within the Borough. Of the 32 male deaths, 10 were of
persons residing at this lodging house. Of the deaths from respiratory
tuberculosis 27 of the 32 male deaths and 14 of the 15 female deaths were in
persons between the ages of 15 and 65 years, whereas of the deaths from
all causes, only about 30% were within this age group.
Tuberculosis Register
| Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | F | Total | M | F | Total | |
| Cases notified for the first time | 94 | 89 | 183 | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| Posthumous notifications | 4 | 2 | 6 | – | – | – |
| New cases in Borough coming to knowledge otherwise than by notification | 15 | 15 | 30 | – | 2 | 2 |
| Cases on Tuberculosis Register at 31.12.50 | 469 | 401 | 870 | 30 | 44 | 74 |
The Chest Physician, Dr. J. P. V. Rigby, has kindly supplied the
following figures concerning the Chest Clinic at Harton Street and the
Tuberculosis Care Committee :—
Cases on Chest Clinic Register at 31.12.51 :—
Definite 867
Observation 35
Number of new contacts examined 592
Total attendances at the Chest Clinic 9,655
TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE
Cases recommended for institutional treatment
referred to Care Committee 147
Interviews by Secretary (from 5.3.51—31.12.51) 1,184
Cases assisted by Care Committee 92
Sums raised by Christmas Seal Sale (1951) £191 4s. 4d.
Expenses £15 6s. 9d. plus £8 15s. lOd. being 5% proceeds to NAPT.