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
London County Council 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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45
888) and 988 children were admitted during the year, making in 1928 the total
number of children treated 1,876 as against 1,928 in 1927. The number of children
under treatment on 31st December, 1928, was 855, distributed as follows:—
Metropolitan Asylums Board Institutions 629
Voluntary Institutions 226
The condition of the children under 15 years of age (on admission) who were discharged from residential institutions in 1928 is indicated in the following table (children of 15 years of age are included with adults owing to requirements of the Ministry of Health). The figures in brackets are those for 1927:—
| Immediate results of treatment. | Classification. | Surgical. | T otals. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. | Bl. | B2. | B3. | |||||
| Quiescent | 66(72) | - (-) | 1 | (1) | — | (-) | 344(360) | 411(433) |
| Much improved | 82(83) | 1(1) | 15 | — | (-) | 186(224) | 284(313) | |
| No material improvement | 26(19) | - (1) | 15 | (6) | 10 | (7) | 23(27) | 74(60) |
| Died in institution | 1(1) | - (-) | — | (2) | 14 | (7) | 16(18) | 31(28) |
| Total | 175(175) | 1(2) | 31 | (14) | 24 | (14) | 569(629) | 800(834) |
In addition to the foregoing arrangements for residential treatment of tuberculous
children the Council has established seven open-air day schools with accommodation
for 540 children suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis or else from tuberculous
glands with no open wounds who do not appear to require treatment in residential
institutions. The work of these schools is dealt with in the section of this report
dealing with the school medical service.
Arrangements were made by the Council in 1926 for an experimental scheme
to be put into operation which would enable the metropolitan borough councils to
utilise as part of the tuberculosis dispensary scheme the facilities for artificial light
treatment at certain hospitals and centres throughout London approved by the
Ministry of Health and the Council. This experimental scheme was continued
throughout the year 1928. It appeared, however, from reports obtained from the
tuberculosis officers of the 19 boroughs in which arrangements for artificial light
treatment were approved by the Council, that very little use had been made of the
scheme by the tuberculosis officers, an average of only six cases during a period of
about nine months having been recommended from each of the boroughs taking
part in the scheme. The reports of these officers disclosed practically no evidence
of benefit having been derived by the patients from this form of treatment. The
further experience gained this year confirms the view expressed in last year's report
that the best results are obtained when light treatment is given as an additional
method of treatment under suitable conditions in residential institutions in the
country where all methods of treatment are available in addition to fresh air, good
food and a regular regime. It has, therefore, been decided to proceed no further
with the scheme, but to bring to the notice of the metropolitan borough councils
the importance of ensuring that all cases of active tuberculosis whether pulmonary
or non-pulmonary, particularly in the early and remediable stages, are recommended
for residential treatment at the earliest possible moment.
Artificial
light treatment.
The valuable work of the tuberculosis care committees in arranging assistance
for tuberculous patients and their families cannot be summarised statistically, but
the effectiveness of the tuberculosis scheme is in no small measure indebted to their
co-operation. The scope of activity of the committees has widened considerably
since the inception of the scheme and the quality of the work which involves close
co-operation with the various social agencies, and public officials in the respective
boroughs is now excellent. There is much evidence that the help and advice given
at the right moment by the care committees enables those assisted to re-establish
themselves in life after residential treatment.
16479 d
Tuberculosis
Care
Committees.