London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
37
Children.—The particulars obtained as to the after histories of children discharged
in 1926 relate to 642, of which 193 are pulmonary and 449 nonpulmonary.
The mortality records are as follows, the figures in brackets referring to last year's enquiry into the 1925 cases:—
| Classification. | Total. | Percentage alive five years after discharge. | Percentage dead. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 140 (148) | 91.6(93.2) | 8-4 (6-8) |
| B 1 | 5 (5) | 20.0 (80.0) | 80-0 (20-0) |
| B 2 | 19 (35) | 52.7 (37.1) | 47.3 (62.9) |
| B 3 | 26 (27) | 3.9 (—) | 96.1 (100.0) |
| Surgical | 449(367) | 93.8 (89.6) | 6.2 (10.4) |
The mortality rates of the non-pulmonary cases classified according to the location of the disease are as follows :—
| Location of Disease. | Total. | Percentage alive five years after discharge. | Percentage dead. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip | 64 (74) | 90.6 (86.5) | 9.4(13.5) |
| Spine | 41 (44) | 87.8(70.6) | 12.2 (29.4) |
| Other bones | 89 (85) | 95.5(94.1) | 4.5 (5.9) |
| Glands | 212 (134) | 94.9(94.8) | 5.1 (5.2) |
| Other parts | 43 (30) | 95.3 (80.0) | 4.7 (20.0) |
Open-air
Of the 140 surviving pulmonary cases 51 were at school and 63 at work, and of
421 surviving non-pulmonary cases, 207 were at school and 171 at work.
In addition to the arrangements for residential treatment of tuberculous
children the Council has established six open-air day schools with accommodation
for 540 children suSering from pulmonary tuberculosis or from tuberculous
glands with no open wounds, who do not require treatment in residential institutions.
The work of these schools is dealt with in the school medical officer's report
(Vol. Ill (Part II) p. 40).
Tuberculosis
care work.
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 considerably assisted by their cooperation.
The scope of activity of the committees has widened since the inception
of the scheme; and the work involves close co-operation with the various social
agencies and public officials in the respective boroughs.
The tuberculosis care committees work in close association with the tuberculosis
officers, and it is the practice for all tuberculous persons attending a tuberculosis
dispensary, who appear to the tuberculosis officer to be likely to need assistance, to
be referred to the tuberculosis care committee for the necessary advice and help.
The presence of tuberculosis in a home creates problems which the tuberculosis
care committee are constantly helping to solve, such as provision for the support
of the family during the patient's absence, the care of children, the improvement of
home conditions, employment, housing, health insurance, pensions, outfits, plans for
the future, and other cognate matters. The experience, knowledge, expert advice
and, in some instances, financial help, placed at the disposal of the patients by
the tuberculosis care committees, is invaluable.
The number of patients treated in residential institutions under the tuberculosis
scheme daring the year was 7,544 adults and 1,905 children. About one-third of
these were assessed to pay contributions towards the cost. The enquiries are made
by the care committees, who recommend the amounts of assessment to the Council
and also collect the contributions.