Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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38
APPENDIX III.
In connection with the segregation of advanced cases of tuberculosis the following extract from the
report of the Medical Odicer of the Local Government Board for 1913.14 is of interest: —
The Hostital Treatment of Tuberculosis.
The facts as regards the institutional treatment of tuberculosis are even more remarkable than those
for the, disease in general.
During the year 1912, of all the deaths occurring respectively from pulmonary and from non.
pulmonary tuberculosis, the proportion occurring in hospitals was as follows :—
| Pulmonary tuberculosis. | Non.pul monary tuberculosis. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male. | Female. | Male. | Female. | |
| London | 56.5 | 43.8 | 58.2 | 50.4 |
| County boroughs | 35.1 | 21.7 | 28.4 | 23.7 |
| Other urban districts | 19.6 | 12.0 | 18.5 | 17.1 |
| Rural Districts | 11.4 | 6.4 | 14.2 | 11.6 |
| England and Wales | 31.1 | 19.1 | 26.4 | 22.4 |
It is interesting to note the administrative areas affected by various degrees of hospital treatment
of pulmonary tuberculosis, and the aggregate populations this affected, so far as this can be gauged by
proportion of the total deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis occurring in hospital. The results for the
year 1912, are summarised in the following table :—
England ani > W alks , 1912.—Proportion of t.ot<il population in each group having different percentages of institutional treatment of cases of fatal pulmonary tuberculosis ;—
| Total percentages of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis occurring in institutions. | Ad ministrative counties. | County borough. | Metropolitan boroughs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.10 per cent. | 7.9 | — | — |
| 10.20 | 58.2 | 13.1 | — |
| 20—30 ,, ,, | 28.2 | 31.1 | — |
| 30.40 | 5.7 | 34.6 | 3.7 |
| 40t.50 „ | — | 14.6 | 13.0 |
| 50.60 „ „ | — | 6.6 | 56.9 |
| 60.70 „ „ | — | — | 20.4 |
| 70.80 „ „ | — | — | 6.0 |
| 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | |
| Total population | 20,655,948 | 11,363,934 | 4,519,754 |
Both of the preceding tables show that the county boroughs, and still more London, provide
hospital, including infirmary, treatment for tuberculosis to a much larger extent than other parts of
England and Wales. It is a striking fact that in London more than half of the total deaths from
tuberculosis occur in hospitals, under conditions in which greater comfort and help to the patients are
doubtless secured than would be possible under the domestic circumstances of the majority of these
patients. The relief of anxiety, the diminution of infection, the lessening of financial stress in respect
of the thousands of families involved in these facts, must also be very great.
In county boroughs between a fourth and a third of the total deaths from tuberculosis occur in
hospitals, in other urban districts nearly a fifth and even in rural districts about one.tenth.
The second of the above tables shows the proportion of the population affected by different
degrees of hospital treatment of tuberculosis, so far as this can be measured by deaths in these institutions.
It will be seen that in metropolitan boroughs representing 6 per cent, of the total population of London,
70.80 per cent, of the deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis occur in hospitals and infirmaries, that in
metropolitan boroughs representing 20.4 per cent, of the population of London 60.70 per cent, of such
deaths occurred, and so on. The corresponding ratios for county boroughs and for administrative
counties are set out in the table.
Proportion between poor law and other hospital accommodation for tuberculosis.—The statement
of number of beds given on pages Ixxix.lxxx, gives some indication of this proportion. A further
indication is given by the following table :—
England and Wales, 1912.—Proportion per cent, of total deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis
occurring in (a) total institutions (hospitals, asylums, and infirmaries) and (b) workhouse
infirmaries :—
Total institutions. Workhouse infirmaries.
Administrative Counties 17.9 10.0
County boroughs 33.0 25.1
Metropolitan boroughs 56.3 41.2