London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Finsbury 1959

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

This page requires JavaScript

65
Finsbury Chest Clinic:
(Information kindly provided by Dr. W.D.R. Thompson, Chest
Physician).
During the year 1959 a total of 2,088 patients were seen in
the Chest Clinic. Of this total, 122 attended for the first time
as contacts of notified cases, and a further 108 were re-examined
as routine contact checks.
The number of new cases of tuberculosis taken on the clinic
register during the year, amounted to 25, all of which were
pulmonary. 9 of these pulmonary cases proved to be infectious.
In addition to these cases a further 15 notified cases (14
pulmonary, 1 non-pulmonary) were transferred into the borough
from other clinics and hospitals.

The number of notified cases shown on the clinic register at Ihe 31st December, 1959 was as follows:-

RespiratoryNon-RespiratoryTotalsGrand Total
MWChMWChMWCh
140991575314710418269

The previous year's total was 270.
During 1959 there were 5 deaths (males), 3 lower than 1958.
Of the cases removed from the register during 1959, a total
of 9 were recovered. 23 were transferred out to other areas, and
the remaining 4 were removed as "diagnosis not confirmed".
The total number of cases X-rayed during the year was 1,539.
The London County Council Tuberculosis Health Visitor,
seconded to the Chest Clinic, made 1,009 visits to homes in the
borough during the year.
Each case was visited with the view to tracing the source of
infection, and advising on the prevention of the disease spreading
and on giving any other assistance where necessary.
Disinfection was carried out by the Finsbury Borough Council
in a number of cases at the request of the Chest Physician.