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
Islington 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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49
[1929
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
3,129 examinations were made for the medical profession of the sputum, of
swabs from the throat, and of the blood of patients suspected to be suffering from
Tuberculosis, Diphtheria and Enteric Fever, respectively.
The number is an increase of 479 on that of the preceding year. It was also
982 above the decennial average. Of the total examinations, 365, or 11.7 per cent.
gave positive results.
Diphtheria.- 2,300 specimens were examined for Diphtheria, of which
412, or 17.9 per cent., were found to contain Diphtheria bacilli.
Enteric Fever.— 17 specimens of blood were examined, 2 of which gave
positive results.
Tuberculosis.— 812 specimens of sputum were examined, 119, or 14.7 per
cent., of which showed that the patients were suffering from pulmonary
tuberculosis.
DIPHTHERIA— PATHOGENICITY TESTS.
1929.
| No. Submitted for Examination. | Negative Result. (Bacilli) | Positive Result. (Bacilli) | Non-Virulent. | Virulent. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 69 | 10* | 7 | 1 |
| *2 not tested for Pathogenicity | ||||
| Periods. | Diphtheria. | Enteric Fever. | Pulmonary Tuberculosis. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive Results. | Negative Results. | Total Examined | Positive Results. | Negative Results. | Total Examined | Positive Results. | Negative Results. | Total Examined | Totals. | |
| 1919 | 116 | 352 | 468 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 92 | 348 | 440 | 928 |
| 1920 | 261 | 677 | 938 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 83 | 375 | 458 | 1,419 |
| 1921 | 238 | 969 | 1,207 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 127 | 421 | 548 | 1,777 |
| 1922 | 291 | 953 | 1,244 | — | 9 | 9 | 139 | 472 | 611 | 1,864 |
| 1923 | 306 | 1,371 | 1,677 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 152 | 719 | 871 | 2,568 |
| 1924 | 180 | 1,333 | 1,513 | — | 17 | 17 | 127 | 650 | 777 | 2,307 |
| 1925 | 232 | 1,618 | 1,850 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 160 | 762 | 922 | 2,786 |
| 1926 | 183 | 1,501 | 1,684 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 148 | 691 | 839 | 2,535 |
| 1927 | 260 | 1,573 | 1,833 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 111 | 661 | 772 | 2,629 |
| 1928 | 276 | 1,478 | 1,754 | 4 | 32 | 36 | 137 | 723 | 860 | 2,650 |
| Average 10 years | 234 | 1,183 | 1,417 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 128 | 582 | 710 | |
VACCINATION.
Of the 4,744 births registered in 1928, the returns of vaccination shows that
only 2,205 infants were successfully vaccinated, while 13 were found to be
insusceptible. There were also 226 who died unvaccinated, and 1,755 statutory
declarations of conscientious objection to vaccination were obtained by the parents