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
Greenwich 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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one being due to diabetic arteriosclerosis, one to carcinoma of the
lung, one to accidental drowning in the River Thames, and the
remaining 2 eighty year old men both died from heart failure. The
four women who died were aged 26, 31, 49 and 45 years. The first
three were deaths due to Tuberculosis while the last was from a
cerebral tumour. It will be seen, therefore, that of the total of 22
deaths on the Tuberculosis Register only 17 were actually due to
Pulmonarv Tuberculosis.
| Year | Population of Borough | Notifications | Incidence per 1,000 of population | Deaths* | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulm. Tub. | Non— Pulm. Tub. | Pulm. Tub. | Non— Pulm. Tub. | Total | Kate per 1,000 | ||
| 1938 | 95,770 | 153 | 38 | 1.59 | 0.39 | 53 | 0.55 |
| 1939 | 94,790 | 93 | 14 | 0.98 | 0.14 | 60 | 0.67 |
| 1940 | 74,280 | 125 | 17 | 1.68 | 0.23 | 73 | 0.97 |
| 1941 | 57,070 | 138 | 32 | 2.42 | 0.56 | 74 | 1.30 |
| 1942 | 60,530 | 164 | 18 | 2.70 | 0.29 | 64 | 1.06 |
| 1943 | 62,870 | 117 | 26 | 1.86 | 0.41 | 60 | 0.96 |
| 1944 | 61,800 | 113 | 16 | 1.82 | 0.26 | 47 | 0.76 |
| 1945 | 63,800 | 149 | 16 | 2.33 | 0.25 | 53 | 0.83 |
| 1946 | 76,840 | 173 | 18 | 2.25 | 0.23 | 56 | 0.73 |
| 1947 | 82,230 | 171 | 13 | 2.08 | 0.16 | 67 | 0.82 |
| 1948 | 84,410 | 112 | 17 | 1.32 | 0.20 | 62 | 0.73 |
| 1949 | 87,680 | 118 | 10 | 1.35 | 0.11 | 53 | 0.61 |
| 1950 | 89,570 | 126 | 18 | 1.41 | 0.20 | 50 | 0.56 |
| 1951 | 89,390 | 124 | 22 | 1.39 | 0.24 | 40 | 0.44 |
| 1952 | 90,880 | 101 | 18 | 1.11 | 0.19 | 42 | 0.46 |
| 1953 | 90,440 | 86 | 15 | 0.95 | 0.15 | 29 | 0.32 |
| 1954 | 90,600 | 86 | 13 | 0.95 | 0.14 | 22 | 0.24 |
In the Report of 1953 reference was made to the combined
Hospital—home treatment scheme run in conjunction with Kettle well
Hospital, Swanley. This scheme has so altered the situation
regarding the treatment of Tuberculosis that whereas in 1951 there
was a waiting list of one year for admission to Hospital there was
at the end of 1954 no waiting list at all.
I am indebted to Dr. Forgacs, Physician Superintendent,
Kettlewell Hospital, Swanley, for much of the report which follows
on short term treatment.