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42
Consultation Visits.—At the request of medical officers of health or practitioners
nine visits to private houses were paid by either Dr. Brincker or Dr. Forbes for
assistance in diagnosis.
1. Encephalitis lethargica.—(6 cases) three were verified, the others proved to
be cases of cerebral embolism, hysteria and tuberculous meningitis. (Lumbar
puncture performed and tubercle bacilli found in cerebrospinal fluid.)
2. Cerebrospinal fever.—(1 case) not confirmed. Case of aniline poisoning, with
speedy recovery.
3. Early enteric fever.—(1 case) not confirmed. Case of influenza.
4. Botulism.—(1 case) not confirmed. Acute gastritis due to tinned salmon
poisoning complicated by facial paralysis : the patient was removed to King's College
Hospital and made complete recovery. Bacteriological examination of pieces of
fish failed to show evidence of B. botulinus or other food poisoning organism. Illness
possibly due to unrecognisable toxins.
B.—Administration.
Statistical information available is comprised in Table II. on p. 58, and details
of the administration of the General Powers Acts (Tuberculous Milk) and observations
on the supervision of slaughterhouses, cowhouses, and offensive trades, will
be published later in Chapter XXV. of the Annual Report of the Council,
Volume III.
Common and
seamen's
lodging
houses.
lhe supervision of the 175 common lodging-houses licensed by the Council
entailed 9,416 day visits and 386 night visits by the inspectors. The supervision
of 36 seamen's lodging-houses licensed under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894,
entailed 1.275 visits by day and 79 by night.
Census of
homeless
persons.
A census of homeless persons in London was taken on the night of 23rd
February, 1923. The whole of the county was included except the outlying districts
which are not usually the resort of such persons. The night was mild with some
rain. Only four persons (all women) were found sheltering under arches and staircases.
In the streets 126 men and 11 women were found, as compared with 81
men and 23 women on the night of the census in 1922, and 296 men and 76 women
at the census taken shortly before the war, in the early part of 1914. In the common
lodging-houses 13,891 persons were accommodated, as compared with 13,076 in
1922, and 20,173 in 1914. In the free shelters and labour homes, not licensed,
347 men, 112 women and 14 children were accommodated, as compared with 597
men, 148 women and 13 children in 1922. The number of persons in casual wards
on the night in question was 381 men, 17 women and two children, and there were
137 vacant beds. The number of inmates at the date of the last census was 276
men, 11 women and two children, and there were 247 vacant beds. At Rowton
Houses 5,042 men were accommodated, the same as in 1922, and there were no
vacant, beds.
Venereal
diseases.
The number of new cases of venereal disease dealt with by the hospitals during
1923 was 25,650, of which 7,128 were syphilis, 11,563 gonorrhoea, and 315 soft
chancre. Comparing these figures with those of the previous year it will be observed
that the total number of new cases dealt with is 1,937 more than in 1922.
Year. Syphilis. Gonorrhoea. Soft chancre. Non-venereal. Total.
1922 6,807 10,635 321 5,950 23,713
1923 7,128 11,563 315 6,641 25,650
Increase 321 928 —6 694 1,937
The total attendances were 555,509, and the ratio of attendances to venereal
cases is in the proportion of 29 attendances to each new case. This is noteworthy