London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

City of Westminster 1902

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]

This page requires JavaScript

33
in the general hospitals, or they must continue to mix with their
neighbours and the members of their families, and so contribute to
the continuance and extension of the disease from which they are
suffering."
Through the instrumentality of the St. Henry Convalescent Fund,
(of which the Medical Officer of Health of the City is ex-ojjficio a
Trustee) consumptive persons living or employed in St. Anne's Ward
may now be sent to sanatoria at the expense of the Fund, and special
arrangements are also made by the Board of Guardians for the Relief of
the Jewish Poor to deal with cases.
Bacteriological Diagnosis.—In only 7 instances have medical practitioners
availed themselves of the facilities granted to have the sputum
of persons suspected to be suffering from phthisis examined bacteriologically
at the Jenner Institute; all were fortunately negative. There
is, however, this to be said, that in London there are many opportunities
for obtaining a report of this kind from hospitals and private laboratories,
and it is therefore likely that opinions have been obtained from such
sources in suspected tuberculosis cases, as to my knowledge is done with
respect to suspected diphtheria and enteric fever.
Disinfection of rooms has been carried out in 10 instances, but in
many more cases thorough cleansing or renovation of the rooms
occupied has been secured, and where this can be done the results are
equally satisfactory.
Malignant Growths.—197 deaths were ascribed to such causes,
which affected 81 males and 116 females. In 4 cases among the males
and 9 cases among the females the tumour was sarcomatous, in 12
males and 2 females it was an epitheliomatous, and in 7 females it was
schirrous in character. Among males the digestive system was the
principal seat of such growths, and 63 deaths occurred from malignant
affections of parts thereof; in 10 instances the part affected was the
tongue, in 4 the mouth and throat, in 21 the stomach and gullet, in 15
some part of the bowels, in 10 the liver, and the remainder otherabdominal
organs. Certain classes of occupations show a higher rate
than others, thus gold and silver workers had a death-rate of 4 per
thousand, cabmen and coachmen 2.68 per thousand, messengers and
porters 2.2 per thousand, general labourers 2 per thousand. The deathrate
for all males over 10 years was l.l per thousand.
Among females in 43 instances some part of the digestive system
was affected, the stomach and liver being the most frequent seat of the
disease; in 32 other cases the ovaries and uterus were affected, and in
22 the breast.
D