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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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58
Clinics are held at County Hall for the after-care of ex-patients by the medical
superintendents of three of the Council's tuberculosis hospitals for cases of surgical
tuberculosis, viz., St. Luke's hospital, Lowestoft, for adults ; Princess Mary's hospital,
Margate (now closed); and Heatherwood hospital, Ascot, for children. The total
number of attendances at the three clinics was 1,606 (St. Luke's hospital, Lowestoft,
493 ; Princess Mary's hospital, 765 ; Heatherwood hospital, 348). The clinic for
adults (ex-patients of St. Luke's hospital, Lowestoft) is held once a month, the
average attendance being 41. The clinic conducted by the former medical superintendent
of Princess Mary's hospital is held every Monday, the average attendance
per session being 17. The clinic conducted by the medical superintendent of
Heatherwood hospital is held twice a month, the average attendance per session
being 15. Copies of the case-notes made by the medical superintendents are
forwarded to the borough medical officers of health for the use of the tuberculosis
officers.
As part of the Council's arrangements for the care of tuberculous persons,
special consideration is given to housing applications from families in which there
is a patient suffering from tuberculosis. If the existing home conditions are found
to justify it, the Council's valuer is asked to deal specially with such applications and
they are given preference over others in the allotment of vacancies. During the
year 1937 approximately 260 families were rehoused under this scheme, compared
with 217 in 1936.
After-care
clinics for
surgical
tuberculosis
Housing of
tuberculous
persons
Cases dealt
with by the
Council
| Sex | Source of notification | Feebleminded | Imbecile | Idiot | Morally defective | Not defective | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children | Adults | Children | Adults | Children | Adults | Children | Adults | Children | Adults | Children | Adults | ||
| Male | Mental hospitals department, etc. | 67 | 28 | 72 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 152 | 31 |
| Special school leavers | 307 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 307 | — | |
| Public assistance | 3 | 9 | _ | 1 | _ | 1 | — | — | 3 | 6 | 6 | 17 | |
| General hospitals | 8 | 7 | _ | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 5 | 16 | 15 | |
| Sections 8 & 9 of M.D. Acts | 17 | 41 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 18 | 46 | |
| Female | Mental hospitals department, etc. | 57 | 62 | 65 | 7 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 29 | 135 | 09 |
| Special school leavers | 226 | _ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 228 | — | |
| Public assistance | 3 | 29 | _ | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 10 | 5 | 44 | |
| General hospitals | 10 | 20 | 1 | _ | _ | 1 | _ | — | 2 | 9 | 13 | 30 | |
| Sections 8 & 9 of M.D. Acts | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 25 | |
| Total | 698 | 219 | 138 | 17 | 13 | 6 | — | 1 | 31 | 67 | 880 | 310 | |
| 917 | 155 | 19 | 1 | 98 | 1,1 80 | ||||||||
| Total for 1936 | 793 | 210 | 114 | 24 | 15 | 2 | - | 2 | 21 | 98 | 943 | 336 | |
| 1,003 | 138 | 17 | 2 | 119 | 1,279 | ||||||||