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
Paddington 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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76 INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT.
The inquiry has on this occasion been extended to include the institutional history of all
fatal cases terminating in death during the year, irrespective of where the deaths occurred.
More or less complete information was obtained with reference to 92 deaths.
Seventy-five of the patients were treated at one institution only, 16 at two, and 1 at three
(sanatorium, infirmary, and home of rest). The distribution of the cases other than the last
is given below.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Scheme of Institutional Treatment.
| Sanatorium. | Hospital. | Infirmary. | Home of Rest. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanatorium | 10 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Hospital | – | 13 | 2 | 2 |
| Infirmary | – | – | 48 | 1 |
| Home of Rest | – | – | – | 4 |
75 cases treated at one institution only.
16 „ at two institutions.
1 case treated at sanatorium, infirmary, and home of rest.
The 4 cases treated at lunatic asylums where the disease was first diagnosed are not
included here.
Although in such an insidious disease as pulmonary tuberculosis some doubt must always
attach to statements as to the date of onset, the figures here given as to the duration of the disease
must be accepted as the only available data. In this analysis the histories of 156 cases dying
during the past year have been drawn upon. The error which attaches to the figures is believed
to be one of defect ; that is to say, that the durations are believed to be understated. For the
present purpose such error is negligible, as it in no way vitiates the conclusion—indeed, it probably
strengthens it.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Duration of the Disease. Data from 156 Fatal Cases. Duration unknown in 37 Cases.
| Duration. | Duration. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 6 months | 10 cases | 8-9 years | One case each. |
| 6-12 „ | 23 | 9-10 „ | |
| 1- year | 21 | 10-11 „ | |
| 2- years | 27 | 12-13 „ | |
| 3- „ | 9 | 15-16 „ | |
| 4- „ | 11 | 17-18 „ | |
| 5- „ | 7 | 31-32 „ | |
| 6-7 „ | 4 | ||
In 37 instances the duration of the disease could not be stated, and in 7 it exceeded 7
years, with a maximum of 31 years in one case. In 33 cases the duration was given as less than
a year. The average duration for the 119 cases with known durations was 3.1 years.
The next tabulation was prepared to show the length of in-patient treatment
received by patients with given durations of the disease. The summary of that analysis
is here set out. The analysis includes 87 of the 92 patients who received such treatment,
and it shows not only the durations of in-patient treatment but also the number of
times the patients were admitted, the average, and the maximum and minimum periods of
treatment.