View report page

24
The corresponding figures for previous years are:—
1949 2,127
1950 2,238
1951 2,443
1952 2,575
1953 2,738
1954 2,851
Tuberculosis Care Committee.
The London County Council is responsible for care work under the National
Health Service Act, 1946, but the Islington Tuberculosis Care Committee remains in
being, working in conjunction with the Islington Chest Clinic, and Members of the
Borough Council and the Medical Officer of Health serve on this Committee. The
Tuberculosis Care Committee is able to assist patients in many ways, and Miss
Greenaway, the Care Organiser, reports that an average of 150 cases were helped
with extra nourishment during the year, while loans of bedding and medical
appliances were made to 24 patients; others were referred to various organisations
for assistance.
Tuberculosis—Mass X-Ray Unit of the North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital
Board, 32, Drayton Park, N.5.
The Mass X-Ray Unit continued to function throughout the year. Between
15 and 16,000 Islington residents were examined by the Unit, as well as a large
number of others who work in the Borough. Close liaison is maintained between
Dr. G. Z. Brett, Physician-in-charge of the Unit, and medical practitioners in the
area. A large number of organised groups of volunteers also attended for X-Ray
examination.
Virus Infections
During the autumn of the year reports were received in regard to a number of
children in a primary school who were suffering from an illness, showing similar
symptoms, but not quite typical of the usual forms of respiratory illness. The
symptoms in general were malaise, sore throat, enlargement of the glands at the back
of the neck, some abdominal pain or intestinal upset, and a mild conjunctivitis
(inflammation of the eyes), temperature was moderately raised and continued to be
raised in a number of children after the initial symptoms mentioned above had
subsided after a few days. A very considerable number of children were affected
and although the illness was confined to the younger children at first, junior schoolchildren
in the same building were affected later. Close watch was kept on the
children, in conjunction with the School Health Service of the London County
Council, and, in view of the probability that this was a virus infection, the Central
Public Health Laboratory, and the Public Health Laboratory, County Hall, also
co-operated in the enquiries. Selected children were seen by consultant staff at the
Royal Free Hospital, and general practitioners were informed and asked to
co-operate in observing the children, and transmitting any further information to the
Department.
No serious cases were reported, and although a few adults were reported sick
with similar symptoms, on the whole, it appears that the outbreak was confined to
children. Information was subsequently received of a similar outbreak in a County
Borough outside London.
Although a primary and junior school in one building were first affected, a
number of cases occurred also at another primary and junior school in the Borough,