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54
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
e.g., Fairfield Ward of the Wandsworth sub-district; the population
in that Ward has a density of 43 persons per acre, as
compared with 27 for the whole sub-district.
The lowest death-rate from all forms of Tubercular Diseases
occurred in Putney, and the highest in Wandsworth.
As regards the ages at death, 188 deaths occurred between
25 and 65 from Tubercular Disease of the Lungs, and 44 from
15 to 25. At the extremes of life, the number of deaths was
small. On the other hand, from other Tubercular Diseases 95
out of 129 deaths occurred under five years of age.
The prevention of Tubercular Diseases has been brought
more prominently to the front during the year in consequence of
the Congress on Tuberculosis held in July.
As a result of this Congress, there is little doubt that the
public have become better informed of the fact that Consumption
is an infectious and preventable disease, and that the main source
of infection is in the sputum.
The other outstanding feature of the Conference was the
statement made by Dr. Koch that bovine and human tuberculosis
were not intercommunicable.
Whether this is correct or not remains to be proved, and most
sanitarians will delay expressing a positive opinion as to the
truth until the publication of the results of the Commission which
has been appointed to deal with the question.
In this Borough several thousand leaflets dealing with the
prevention of Tubercular Diseases have been distributed, and in
all cases of death from Phthisis a visit is made to the house, and
disinfection of all clothing and bedding is offered. In a large
proportion of cases this disinfection was willingly agreed to by
the occupier.
Instructions are also given for the room to be thoroughly
cleansed, the wallpaper stripped, and the room to be thoroughly
ventilated for some days after cleansing.