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

View report page

City of Westminster 1925

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

This page requires JavaScript

44
One case requiring action under the Regulations came to the notice of the Medical
Officer of Health. The patient voluntarily discontinued his connection with the milk
trade when he was informed that there were legal powers for compelling him to do so.
There is nothing in the Regulations to prevent waitresses and others employed in small
restaurants, who may be suffering from tuberculosis, from handling milk to be consumed
on the premises. It is extremely important that sufferers from infectious or open tuberculosis
should not be permitted to prepare or distribute not only milk but also other
articles of food for use by the public. No doubt the experience gained in the practice
of these Regulations will pave the way for future measures of a more comprehensive
nature.
3. Milk and Dairies Consolidation Act, 1915, contains certain provisions for
prohibiting the sale of milk which is infected with tuberculosis. This Act came
into force on 1st September, and its provisions are mentioned in the Food Section of
this report.
4. Tuberculosis Order of 1925 made by the Minister of Agriculture
and Fisheries.
The Order is a lengthy document consisting of twenty-three articles, the provisions
of which will be administered, so far as London is concerned, by the London County
Council. As cows are no longer kept in the City of Westminster, nor are there any
slaughter-houses, the Order is not of immediate application.
This Order revoked the Tuberculosis Order of 1914.
Tuberculosis Scheme.
The constitution of the Tuberculosis Scheme of the City Council is
similar to that described in the survey report of 1920.
I.-—(1) The dispensary is situated at 1 Pimlico Road, S.W.
(2) Tuberculosis Officer : Dr. Ian S. Thomson. He is also Assistant
and Deputy Medical Officer of Health. His duties are mainly concerned
with the tuberculosis scheme, but a proportion of his time is devoted to
general public health work.
(3) The visiting of patients in their homes, whether in connection with
the dispensary or in regard to visiting on notification under the Tuberculosis
Regulations, is performed by four Health Visitors, three of whom
divide their duties between tuberculosis and maternity and child welfare.
(4) The City Council is not the authority for providing residential
treatment, and has therefore no beds under its control. The large voluntary
hospitals admit cases for observation and also in emergency but
do not make any established provision of beds for cases of tuberculosis
other than the sufferers from non-pulmonary disease who by custom are
treated by surgeons in surgical wards. Those cases, when convalescent, are
generally transferred to institutions administered by the public authority.
The Guardians of the City of Westminster provide wards in their
St. Stephen's Hospital for the purpose of treatment of patients suffering