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 1921
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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tuberculosis.
Ward Distribution.—In Table XII., the returns of new cases (all forms of tuberculosis) for
the past eight years have been distributed according to the Wards. In two Wards only, viz.,
Lancaster Gate, West and East, is any increase in the prevalence of the disease indicated.
Age Distribution.—A statement is given below showing the distribution of new cases
according to age, distinguishing the categories of cases. The reductions at ages under
15 years are remarkable, and generally the tabulation can be regarded as very satisfactory.
Tuberculosis: New Cases.
| Pulmonary | Definite | Other Forms | Suspect All Forms | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | |||||||||||||||
| 0- | 5- | 15- | 45- | 65- | 0- | 5- | 15- | 45- | 65- | 0- | 5- | 15- | 45- | 65 | |
| 1914-18 | 8 | 34 | 114 | 43 | 7 | 24 | 37 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 33 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 1919 | 3 | 17 | 99 | 30 | 4 | 8 | 33 | 11 | 3 | — | 11 | 30 | 24 | 3 | — |
| 1920 | — | 15 | 87 | 32 | 1 | 12 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 23 | 23 | 1 | — |
| 1921 | — | 3 | 96 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 25 | 1 | — |
| Females | |||||||||||||||
| 1914-18 | 6 | 28 | 108 | 25 | 5 | 19 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 38 | 38 | 4 | 0 |
| 1919 | 1 | 14 | 91 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 27 | 12 | 2 | — | 10 | 15 | 31 | 5 | 1 |
| 1920 | 5 | 5 | 109 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 22 | 2 | — | 5 | 28 | 26 | 3 | — |
| 1921 | 1 | 8 | 82 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 19 | 3 | — | 4 | 14 | 22 | 3 | — |
"O" Signifies average less than 1.
Site of the Disease.—In 324 of the cases reported during the year, the disease was stated
to be in one part of the body only, 236 cases being notified as tuberculosis of the lungs,
and 44 as of the cervical glands. In 11 the disease was reported to be in two sites, 8 of these
cases being pulmonary cases with infection of the lymphatic glands or neighbouring organs.
Among the "repeat" notifications were 5 cases in which secondary (apparently new) sites of
disease were reported.
Occupational Distribution.—The usual information as to the occupations of patients
reported during the year, will be found in Table XV.
Institutional Treatment : Non-Residential—The number of admissions, i.e. first
attendances, at the two Tuberculosis Dispensaries was 891, the same as in 1920, of whom
135 were found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, 86 from other forms of that
disease, and 158 to be "suspects." An analysis of the admissions and of the proportions
(percentages) found to be tuberculous and suspect, is given below. Two points deserve notice
Tuberculosis: Borough. Dispensary Records.
| Adults | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Females | |||||
| Total | Insured | Uninsured | Total | Insured | Uninsured | |
| Admitted | 253 | 207 | 46 | 279 | 104 | 175 |
| Diagnosed— | ||||||
| Pulmonary | 33.6 (33.4) | 31.9 (36.3) | 41.3 (20.8) | 17.5 (19.3) | 22. 1 (33.7) | 14.9 (16 4) |
| Other Forms | 9.1 (4.2) | 8.2 (4.4) | 13.0 (3.4) | 6.1 (4 .6) | 6.7 (6.8) | 5.6 (3'2) |
| Suspect | 17.0 (18.4) | 18.4 (18.4) | 10.8 (18.9) | 16.9 (21.3) | 17.3 (17.7) | 16.5 (214) |
| Children | ||||||
| Admittted | 359 | |||||
| Diagnosed— | ||||||
| Pulmonary | 1.9 (5.8) | |||||
| Other Forms | 12.8 (13.3) | |||||
| Suspect | 18.9 (25.1) | |||||
in that tabulation, viz. the increase in the percentages of "other forms" of tuberculosis
diagnosed last year, in comparison with the averages for 1916-20, among all adults, and the
very large increase in the proportion of uninsured men—from an average of 20.8 per cent. to
one of 41.3 in 1921—but no explanation can be put forward at present for those changes.
The percentages reported as "suspect'' are lower in every catagory except "males, insured."
The Tuberculosis Officers report that there were 381 "contacts" connected with the cases
of tuberculosis seen for the first time during the year, of whom 243 (63.5 per cent.) were
examined, 13 (5.3 per cent. of the examined) were found to be suffering with some form of the
disease. Those officers also report that 45 "suspects" were discharged during the year from
observation, 17 of the 45 being found to be tuberculous, and 20 to be suffering from other
diseases.