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

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Islington 1955

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

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22
Scabies and Vermin
Treatment for scabies and vermin during the year was carried out at the
Finsbury Public Health Centre, Pine Street, E.C.I, on account of the temporary
closure of this Department's own Station, Seven Sisters Road, for renewal of plant,
which included installation of a new boiler and sterilizers. The co-operation and
assistance given by the Medical Officer of Health and staff of the Finsbury Health
Department in agreeing to take Islington cases during the year is very greatly
appreciated.
Scabies Vermin
Children under 5 years Number treated 13 9
Number of baths given 29* —
Number of treatments — 9
L.C.C. Children Number treated 5 10
Number of baths given 10 —
Number of treatments — 10
Adults Number treated 79 31
Number of baths given 160* —
Number of treatments — 31
*Baths were also given to 19 Scabies Contacts and 75 Special Cleansing Cases.
Home Visiting.

Follow-up home visiting for cases of scabies and vermin was carried out by the Home Visitors of the Cleansing Station as under:—

Families VisitedRevisitsIneffective VisitsTotal
Scabies1137110230
Vermin13916177332

Tuberculosis.
It will be seen from the table given below that there were 406 new cases of
pulmonary tuberculosis, and an increase in the number of deaths to 45, from 37 in
each of the previous two years. With a total approaching 3,000 persons on the
Tuberculosis Register in the borough, pulmonary tuberculosis remains the mos:
serious major infection with which we still have to deal. Of the 235 new cases in
males, no fewer that 171 were between the ages of 15 and 55 years; thus their
working capacity is very seriously affected for long periods in what should be the
most favourable part of their working lives. Of the 171 new cases of lung
tuberculosis in women no less than 128 were between the ages of 15 and 45, again,
with serious implications not only on their personal working capacity but also in the
case of married women, the possible effects on their families. Being a long-term
illness, tuberculosis gives rise to serious social problems and, although there are very
many families in the Borough for whom re-housing is urgently necessary, the question
of adequate accommodation is even more important in the case of a tuberculous
household because of the necessity for separate sleeping arangements for the patient.
Both the Borough Council and the London County Council give special consideration
to "ihe re-housing of tuberculous households where the patient is in an infective
condition, but with the great deficiency of new accommodation in proportion to the
demand, undesirably long delay may occur before a re-housing offer can be made to
a family where the need is even more pressing on account of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Whilst new forms of treatment have succeeded in prolonging the lives of many
sufferers from lung tuberculosis, this has had the effect of increasing the total
number of persons in the community suffering from this infection. The work of