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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The diminution in the number of new cases as compared with the previous year may be explained by the fact that one large treatment centre ceased to participate in the scheme after 31st March, 1928, but continued to treat patients suffering from these diseases.
| 1927 | 6,095 | 12,496 | 210 | 10,164 | 28,965 |
| 1928 | 5,270 | 10,896 | 235 | 9,595 | 25,996 |
| Increase + or decrease — | —825 | —1,600 | +25 | -569 | —2,969 |
The distribution of new cases of venereal disease between the sexes is shown
in the following table, the figures for the preceding years being given for comparison.
The distribution of new cases of venereal disease between the sexes is shown in the following table, the figures for the preceding years being given for comparison.
| Year. | New cases. | Total venereal cases. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syp | lilis. | Soft chancre. | Gonorrhœa. | |||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| 1917 | 4,427 | 3,351 | 199 | 11 | 3,830 | 1,207 | 8,456 | 4.569 |
| 1918 | 3,764 | 3,002 | 116 | 13 | 4,844 | 1,940 | 8,724 | 4,955 |
| 1919 | 6,394 | 3,391 | 463 | 18 | 10,441 | 2,440 | 17,298 | 5,849 |
| 1920 | 6,988 | 3,579 | 766 | 25 | 10,669 | 2,427 | 18,423 | 6,031 |
| 1921 | 5,088 | 3,100 | 458 | 13 | 8,573 | 2,136 | 14,119 | 5,249 |
| 1922 | 4,207 | 2,600 | 309 | 12 | 8,233 | 2,402 | 12,749 | 5,014 |
| 1923 | 4,497 | 2,631 | 311 | 4 | 9,043 | 2,520 | 13,851 | 5,155 |
| 1924 | 4,174 | 2,452 | 301 | 4 | 8,565 | 2,785 | 13,040 | 5,241 |
| 1925 | 3,556 | 2,346 | 268 | 11 | 8,464 | 2,857 | 12,288 | 5,214 |
| 1926 | 3,725 | 2,013 | 301 | 2 | 8,825 | 2,858 | 12,851 | 4,873 |
| 1927 | 3,886 | 2,209 | 203 | 7 | 9,637 | 2,859 | 13,726 | 5,075 |
| 1928 | 3,433 | 1,837 | 229 | 6 | 8,249 | 2.647 | 11,911 | 4,490 |
38
handicapped by his small yard space and other circumstances arising from limited
site, he has the advantage of prompt delivery of his milk, and there is much less
chance of exposure to contamination than in the case of milk subject to prolonged
transport.
Venereal Diseases.
The number of new cases of venereal disease dealt with by the hospitals under
the London and Home Counties Scheme during 1928 was 16,401, of which 5,270
were syphilis, 10,896 gonorrhoea, and 235 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 2,400 less than in 1927.
The diminution in the number of new cases as compared with the previous year
may be explained by the fact that one large treatment centre ceased to participate
in the scheme after 31st March, 1928, but continued to treat patients suffering from
these diseases.
Importance is attached to the necessity of securing the regular attendance of
patients at the clinics, more especially in the case of gonorrhoea, and efforts to secure
the requisite provision of facilities for intermediate treatment at times other than
during the hours of the clinic are meeting with considerable success. A number of
patients still fail to complete the full course of treatment considered necessary before
final discharge, due in no small measure to the false impression that a cure has been
effected on the disappearance of outward signs of the disease. The need for improving
conditions likely to cause patients to discontinue attendance at the clinics or to
transfer them from one clinic to another continues to receive careful attention.
Ratio of
attendances.
In past years the ratio of attendances has been stated as so many attendances
to each new case of venereal disease admitted to the clinics during the year. The
attendances included both V.D. and non Y.D. A more accurate method of gauging
the attendances of such patients would be to count only the attendances of V.D.
patients and not those of non Y.D. This is probably as good a method as can be
found for obtaining an estimate comparable year by year of the efficiency of the