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64
Mass Radiography Unit 6D
(Information kindly provided by Dr. W. D. R. Thompson Medical Director).
Mass Radiography Unit 6D commenced operating in May 1950 and up
to the end of 1956 it had examined 208,373 males and 152,274 females
making a total of 360,647.
The present zone of the Unit comprises the City of London and the
Metropolitan Boroughs of Finsbury and Shoreditch all of which have
intensive day populations.
During 1956 the Unit examined 37.264 males and 27,916 females
totalling 65,180, which shows an increase of about 3,400 on the previous
year's figures. Sixty two active cases of tuberculosis were
discovered and 883 cases with tuberculous lesions. The unit operated
at the Mass Radiography Centre 20 Golden Lane E.C.1 from the 1st
January to the 30th April and from the 8th August to the 31st December.
During the intervening period the Unit visited several firms and
organisations within its zone, including a special survey in Finsbury,
when the Unit operated in the Finsbury Health Centre Pine Street,
London, E.C.1. by kind permission of the Health Committee of the
Borough of Finsbury. About 250 firms participated in this survey,
which took place from the 14th June to the 6th July. Particular
emphasis was laid on firms operating in the northern section of the
Borough as those in the southern area are conveniently situated to
the Mass Radiography Centre in Golden Lane. Also in this survey
were included firms in the Ludgate Circus area as there is direct
transport facilities to the Health Centre.
During the Finsbury survey some Public Sessions were held at
which no appointments were necessary, but the attendances at these
sessions were disappointing. At the request of the Medical Officer
of Health for Finsbury special periods were set aside for the examination
of elderly folk. The attendances at the Public Sessions amounted
to 542 people with over 4,299 at the Planned Sessions, Eight cases
of active tuberculosis and 11 cases of inactive tuberculosis were discovered,
as well as 2 cases of carcinoma of the lung,
We would like to take this opportunity of recording our grateful
appreciation to the Medical Officer of Health and his staff for their
helpfulness during this survey.
As this Unit does not have the usual X ray van and trailer, it is
necessary for the apparatus to be installed within a firm's premises
and so every endeavour is made during the mobile period to X-ray
either firms in the vicinity of a particular site, or firms associated
with the Company In which the apparatus has been installed. Thus