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21
Scabies and Vermin
It was reported in the 1955 Annual Report that the Department's Cleansing and
Disinfecting Station, Seven Sisters Road, had been closed on account of works in
connection with the installation of a new boiler, large and small sterilizers, together
with appropriate modern recording equipment. The work was completed and the
Centre re-opened for Islington cases on 1st April, 1956. During the period of
closure cases were referred for treatment to the Finsbury Health Centre, and the
Council were very appreciative of the assistance afforded by the Medical Officer of
Health, Finsbury, and his staff, during this time.
Scabies Vermin
Children under S years Number treated 26 17
Number of baths given 51 —
Number of treatments — 18
L.C.C. Children Number treated 43 185
Number of baths given 89* —
Number of treatments — 186
Adults Number treated 86 J 5
Number of baths given 185* —
Number of treatments — 40
* Baths were also given to 8 Scabies Contacts and 116 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 Ineffective
Visited Revisits Visits Total
Scabies 149 8 81 238
Vermin 185 5 143 333
Tuberculosis.
It will be seen from the table given below that there were 419 new cases of
pulmonary tuberculosis (an increase of 13 over the previous year), and a decrease in
the number of deaths to 34 as compared with 45. The number of deaths is the
lowest recorded in the history of the Borough. New cases reported during the year
in males numbered 272, an increase of 27 over last year. The female new cases of
pulmonary tuberculosis were, at 157, less than the previous year by 14. It has been
mentioned previously in these Annual Reports that the greatly improved outlook in
connection with the treatment of tuberculosis has enabled a much longer survival
of patients, with a consequent steep fall in the death-rate. If the new cases do not
fall correspondingly, this results in an increase in the total number of patients
suffering from, or under observation for tuberculosis, and this position is confirmed
in the Borough by the rise to over 3,000 on the register of the department, and an
increase, although a smaller one, in the number of cases on the Chest Clinic registers.
It therefore remains true, unfortunately, as mentioned in last year's Report, that
pulmonary tuberculosis is still the most serious major infection with which we have
to deal, since the majority of new cases are between the ages of 15 and 55 years
and working capacity both of men and women is very seriously affected for very long
periods, with all the family, social and financial repercussions entailed by such longterm
sickness and complete or partial incapacity.