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
City of Westminster 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Table XLVI.
| 1933. | 1934. | 1935. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practitioners | 140 | 157 | 140 |
| Health Visitors | 162 | 161 | 143 |
| St. Stephen's Hospital | 72 | 99 | 97 |
| Ministry of Pensions | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| School Medical Officer | 18 | 23 | 25 |
| Hospitals | 10 | 9 | 12 |
| Referred by friends, charitable organisations, &c. | 10 | 12 | 8 |
| 412 | 462 | 425 |
The proportion of these cases first seen at St. Stephen's Hospital
remains high. The value of the arrangement whereby the Tuberculosis
Officer visits the tuberculosis wards of the hospital has been stressed in
previous reports. This is of increasing importance as there has been a
greater tendency in the last few years for medical practitioners to send
definite cases of tuberculosis direct to the County Council General Hospitals.
This method is particularly useful for persons in crowded homes
or temporary lodgings, as they commence treatment and are removed
from contact with others at the earliest possible time. The Tuberculosis
Officer comes in touch with these cases in the hospital and after an initial
period of rest they are passed on to a sanatorium, if suitable for such
treatment.
The following table gives certain details of the work of the Dispensary
during 1935 and the four preceding years :—
Table XLVII.
| 1931. | 1932. | 1933. | 1934. | 1935. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New patients attending | 400 | 484 | 412 | 462 | 425 |
| Old patients attending | 427 | 477 | 430 | 473 | 472 |
| New contacts examined | 85 | 105 | 126 | 109 | 108 |
| Individual attendances | 827 | 961 | 842 | 935 | 897 |
| Total attendances | 2,314 | 2,321 | 2,165 | 2,615 | 2,454 |
| Written reports to public authorities and medical practitioners | 1,187 | 1,228 | 1,090 | 1,066 | 1,064 |
| Home visits | 72 | 73 | 82 | 67 | 73 |
| Consultations with practitioners | 157 | 132 | 117 | 153 | 145 |
| Visits by health visitors to dispensary cases | 3,469 | 3,373 | 3,404. | 3,526 | 3,335 |
| Sputum examinations | 192 | 225 | 164 | 193 | 171 |
| X-ray examinations | 42 | 61 | 60 | 78 | 78 |