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 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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International certificates.—During the year 1523 (331) certificates of inoculation and vaccination were submitted
for the signature of the medical practitioner to be authenticated by the Department.
MARRIAGES.—The number of marriages solemnised in the Borough during the year was 1,582 (1,627).
TUBERCULOSIS.—Notifications and Deaths.
| Year | Population | Notifications | Deaths | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | Total | Incidence Rate* | Pulmonary | Non-Pulmonary | Total | Death Rate per 1,000 Population | |||
| Pulmonary | All Forms | |||||||||
| 1939 | 135,300 | 189 | 32 | 221 | 1.6 | 83 | 12 | 95 | 0.66 | 0.75 |
| 1940 | 97,860 | 168 | 37 | 205 | 2.1 | 72 | 14 | 86 | 0.73 | 0.88 |
| 1941 | 77,640 | 184 | 26 | 210 | 2.7 | 85 | 12 | 97 | 1.09 | 1.25 |
| 1942 | 83,640 | 195 | 40 | 235 | 2.8 | 70 | 17 | 87 | 0.83 | 1.04 |
| 1943 | 90,580 | 229 | 28 | 257 | 2.8 | 74 | 5 | 79 | 0.82 | 0.87 |
| 1944 | 93,030 | 233 | 26 | 259 | 2.8 | 76 | 8 | 84 | 0.82 | 0.90 |
| 1945 | 99,790 | 224 | 21 | 245 | 2.5 | 59 | 9 | 68 | 0.59 | 0.68 |
| 1946 | 117,670 | 261 | 24 | 285 | 2.4 | 95 | 5 | 100 | 0.80 | 0.85 |
| 1947 | 127,450 | 273 | 22 | 295 | 2.3 | 71 | 12 | 83 | 0.56 | 0.65 |
| 1948 | 128,100 | 306 | 23 | 329 | 2.6 | 69 | 12 | 81 | 0.54 | 0.63 |
| 1949 | 130,640 | 305 | 28 | 333 | 2.5 | 79 | 6 | 85 | 0.60 | 0.65 |
| 1950 | 130,600 | 246 | 23 | 269 | 2.1 | 53 | 2 | 55 | 0.41 | 0.42 |
| 1951 | 125,400 | 233 | 32 | 265 | 2.1 | 55 | 3 | 58 | 0.44 | 0.46 |
| 1952 | 124,800 | 241 | 26 | 267 | 2.1 | 32 | 1 | 33 | 0.26 | 0.26 |
| 1953 | 123,800 | 247 | 19 | 266 | 2.1 | 24 | 2 | 26 | 0.19 | 0.21 |
* All forms per 1,000 population.
The following table shows the age distribution of the notified cases.
| 0— | 1— | 2— | 5— | 10— | 15— | 20— | 25— | 35— | 45— | 55— 65— | 75— | Total All Ages | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary-Male | — (—) | 2 (3) | 4 (1) | 6 (2) | 1 (2) | 5 (3) | 9 (17) | 44 (44) | 20 (37) | 19 (11) | 8 (7) | 7 (4) | — (3) | 125 (134) |
| Pulmonary-Female | — (1) | 2 (—) | 6 (7) | 5 (1) | 4 (3) | 8 (10) | 16 (19) | 41 (32) | 20 (20) | 9 (6) | 6 (7) | 3 (—) | 2 (1) | 122 (107) |
| Non-Pulmonary-Male | — (—) | — (—) | 1 (1) | — (4) | 1 (2) | — (—) | 2 (1) | — (2) | 1 (1) | 1 (—) | 1 (1) | — (—) | — (—) | 7 (12) |
| Non-Pulmonary-Female | — (—) | — (—) | 2 (—) | — (1) | — (1) | 1 (1) | 3 (3) | 2 (2) | — (2) | 3 (3) | — (—) | 1 (—) | — (1) | 12 (14) |
BURIALS. —During the year 36 (30) burials and 2 (1) cremations were arranged under the National Assistance Act.
MORTUARY.—The number of bodies received at the mortuary was 395 (398) and 339 (326) post mortem examinations
were made there.
The improvements to the reception and viewing facilities were completed in June at a cost of £820. The erection
of a small waiting room remote from the viewing and post mortem rooms has provided increased comfort to members
of the public who have to visit the mortuary; and the curtaining off of a space for viewing purposes has ensured
relatives of the privacy so necessary at those times. These improvements have made it possible for the officers concerned
to carry out this service with the minimum of distress to the visiting public and I am pleased to be able to report that
the new arrangements have proved eminently satisfactory.
SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF THE SANITARY INSPECTORS —
| Complaints received | 3,648 (3,664) |
| Inspections and reinspections of dwelling houses | 24,019 (30,622) |
| Basements inspected | 1,178 (330) |
| Premises inspected for purpose of the Housing Acts | 1,162 (116) |
| Visits in connection with re-housing applications | 858 (1,027) |
| Visits in connection with infectious disease | 95 (29) |
| Smoke observations | 19 (85) |
| Written Intimation Notices served | 1,500 (1,868) |
| Statutory Notices served | 626 (890) |
| Bye-law Notices served | 370 (371) |