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
Holborn 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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Dental Clinic for Tuberculous Persons.
Arrangements were continued for tuberculous persons referred from the
Tuberculosis Dispensary to receive dental treatment as part of the Council's
Tuberculosis Dispensary Scheme, at the Clinic of the British Dental Hospital,
No. 10, John Street, W.C.
Particulars of this service are given in the table below (General Dental Clinic).
The Clinic is held by the British Dental Hospital at the Council's Maternity
Centre, 10, John Street, on Tuesday evenings.
General Dental Clinic.
By arrangement with the British Dental Hospital, a Dental Clinic open for
inhabitants and workers in the neighbourhood is held on Tuesday evenings at the
Council's Maternity and Child Welfare Centre, No. 10, John Street. Tuberculous
patients are also seen at the Tuesday evening Clinic by appointment at times
outside the hours for the general public.
The Secretary of the Hospital has kindly supplied the following information
of the work at the Clinic during the year 1933:—
| TuberculosisPatients. | All Patients. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of sessions held | — | 48 | |
| Number of patients' attendances | 16 | 250 | |
| Number of fillings | 16 | 69 | |
| Number of scalings | 2 | 9 | |
| Number of extraction cases | Without anæsthetic | — | 2 |
| With local anæsthetic | — | 14 | |
| With gas | 2 | 22 | |
| Number of teeth extracted | 10 | 126 | |
| Number of dentures (including repairs) | — | 23 | |
| Number of dressings | 2 | 21 | |
| Number for advice | 45 | ||
| Number of denture visits | - | 57 | |
| Number of new patients | 3 | 47 | |
Cancer.
During the year 1933, 61 deaths were recorded as due to Cancer in comparison
with 71 in the previous year. The deaths in 1933 were equal to a rate of 1.69 per
thousand, the corresponding rate in 1932 being 1.95 per thousand. In the year
1913 the death rate from Cancer in the Borough was 1.04, the decennial average
rate was 1.34 for the ten years, 1914-1923, and 1.68 for the ten years, 1924-1933.
It will been seen that the death rate from Cancer in the Borough in 1933 was
lower than in the previous year, being 1.69 per thousand in comparison with 1.05 per
thousand. The rate, however, for one year in districts of comparatively small populations
does not furnish a reliable indication of the prevalence of a particular disease. The decennial
rates which afford much more reliable indication of the seriousness of Cancer show that in the
past 20 years there has apparently been a marked increase in the death rate from this disease,
for while the decennial average for the ten years, 1914-1923, was 1.34, the corresponding rate
for the ten years, 1924-1933, was 1.68. Some part of this increase may reasonably be attributed
to improved facilities for diagnosis. The figures indicate the high mortality from malignant
diseases.
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