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morbidity from tuberculosis remains relatively high, though the mortality
is lowered. A fair number of people are being treated locally by antituberculous
drugs at work or at home.
Another major cause of continued activity at the Deptford Chest Clinic
lies in the relatively large number of new patients referred to the department
by General Practitioners for an opinion on the chest condition. At
one time, the main request was to exclude pulmonary tuberculosis in a
patient, but now a wide variety of general chest problems are referred to
the Chest Clinic for investigation and treatment. It is important nowadays
to exclude pulmonary new growths as there has been a national
increase in this disease. Chronic bronchitis is also a local problem.
This is sometimes referred to abroad as 'English Disease'. Despite
modern drug treatment this remains a killing disease in all large cities,
London especially, and the Deptford area is no exception.
The tuberculosis figures do, in fact, remain relatively high in this area,
possibly due to the presence of a large common lodging house in the
vicinity with tuberculous males in it, but there have also been a number
of cases of tuberculosis in immigrants.
Deptford is not yet a smokeless zone and many of its inhabitants are
also tobacco smokers. These factors undoubtedly aggravate chest diseases
in the area, as elsewhere. In the beginning of 1962, there are signs that
the recent medical reports on smoking are having at least a local effect,
in that hardened cigarette smokers are reducing the total amount smoked."
Mass Miniature Radiography
I append below a report I have received from the Director of the Mass
Radiography Unit:
" I enclose analyses of results of surveys carried out during 1961 as
promised.
As you will see, out of a total of 4,972, 3,083 were X-rayed at New Cross
Hospital during our regular Friday surveys. Out of this total of 3,083,
12 cases were found and of these 12 cases, 7 were found amongst people
not previously X-rayed.
The other surveys during the year were carried out at Deptford (Car
Park) and Brockley Station (General Public); and at Goldsmiths, Tucker
and Richardson and Carrington House."