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

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London County Council 1924

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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125
CHAPTER XXIII.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
Tuberculosis
—History.
The responsibility in London for the public provision of treatment for tuberculosis
rests on the Council, which in 1914 prepared a comprehensive scheme,
revised in October, 1922.* Under this scheme the Council provides or arranges
for the provision of residential treatment required through a public authority (other
than poor law guardians) and the metropolitan borough councils provide or arrange
for the provision of dispensary treatment. Further details are given in the Annual
Report for 1922 (vol. III., p. 100).
During 1924 it was considered desirable to arrange for the provision of
more residential accommodation for advanced cases (adults) suffering from tuberculosis,
and the Metropolitan Asylums Board, with the approval of the Minister of
Health, agreed to recondition and utilise its institution at Grove-park, Lee, accommodating
about 300 cases, for the reception of advanced cases of both sexes.
Pending the preparation of this institution, additional beds have been provided at
other hospitals.

The following table shows the provision for residential treatment under the scheme (excluding insured persons and ex-service men)† :—

Year.New cases admitted during year.Beds occupied at end of year.
Adults.Children.Total.Adults.Children.Total.
19209321,1672,0993067041,010
19211,2151,0502,265225669894
19221,0249061,930250655905
19239757491,724285707992
19241,0419151,9563027461,048

The following table shows the provision for residential treatment in London for insured persons and ex-service men :—

Admissions during year.Beds occupied at end of year.
Insured adults.Ex-service men.Total.Insured adults.Ex-service men.Total.
19202,3203,0455,3657126181,330
19213,3562,5445,9007274301,157
19223,1211,2894,4108352851,120
19232,2981,3043,6028223511,173
19242,6701,0373,7071,0452651,310

The above figures exclude cases of children referred by the Council to the
Invalid Children's Aid Association for residential treatment under an agreement
between the Council and the Association. The number of children so referred
during 1924 was 297. At the end of 1924 there were 153 cases (133 adults and
20 children) under consideration for residential treatment. Details of treatment
are given above (see pp. 52-55).
Tuberculosis
dispensaries.
The dispensary service was the subject of a special survey in 1920.‡ A further
survey was made in the autumn of 1921. Recommendations for the improvement
of the service are made from time to time by the Council and the Minister of Health
to the metropolitan borough councils.
There are now 21 municipal dispensaries, one voluntary dispensary—largely
aided by a borough council—and 9 dispensaries—also aided by the borough councils
and the City Corporation—at hospitals. Two borough councils have provided
branch dispensaries.
* Scheme for the treatment of tuberculosis in London. No. 2183. Price 4d.
† Figures for 1914-19 are given in the Annual Report for 1921 (vol. III., p. 62).
‡ Tuberculosis in London. Report of the Public Health Committee. 1st July, 1920.
No. 2035. Price 6d. The development of the dispensary system was described in the Annual
Report for 1920 (vol. III., p. 110).
11908 I