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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Table 40—
| Hospitals and institutions | Ex-service men | Civilian adults | Children under 16 years | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London County Council special hospitals | 1 (5) | 1,298 (1,268) | 658 (670) | 1,957 (1,943) |
| London County Council general hospitals | 6(12) | 1,004 (1,002) | 13 (20) | 1,023 (1,034) |
| Voluntary institutions | 16(19) | 1.118 (1,156) | 60 (68) | 1,194 (1,243) |
| Total | 23 (36) | 3,420 (3,426) | 731 (758) | 4,174 (4,220) |
Table 41—
| 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papworth | 16 | 33 | 61 | 90 | 109 | 118 | 140 | 136 | 145 | 150 |
| Preston Hall | 13 | 10 | 53 | 84 | 89 | 113 | 150 | 173 | 107* | 100* |
| Douglas House | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 69 | 75 |
* Exclusive of patients at the Douglas House annexe of Preston Hall.
An average of 42 youths were treated during 1938 at the Burrow Hill Sanatorium
Colony.
Since 1931, 35 youths, trained in horticulture at the colony, have been accepted
for employment as "improvers" in the parks department of the Council. Seven
are now on the permanent adult staff and four others are eligible but failed to pass
the medical examination for entrance ; they will be re-examined in due course. One
left the service on health grounds. Time lost owing to sickness has been approximately
5 • 3 per dent.
Afterhistories
of
discharged
patients
The following table shows the number of adult patients discharged from residential treatment in 1932 who were living at the end of five years after discharge, with comparative figures (given in brackets) relating to patients who were discharged in 1927:—
Table 42—
| Classification | Number discharged | Number lost sight of | Total followed up | Living at end of 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | ||||
| A | 544 (620) | 64 (115) | 480 (505) | 365 (371) | 76.0 (73.5) |
| B 1 | 181 (250) | 12 (44) | 169 (206) | 137 (140) | 81.0 (68.0) |
| B 2 | 1,914 (2,155) | 111 (173) | 1,803 (1,982) | 743 (670) | 41.2 (33.8) |
| B 3 | 632 (998) | 13 (26) | 619 (972) | 49 (60) | 7.9 (6.2) |
| Total pulmonary | 3,271 (4,023) | 200 (358) | 3,071 (3,665) | 1,294 (1,241) | 42 1 (33 9) |
| Non-pulmonary | 351 (317) | 48 (71) | 303 (246) | 226 (182) | 74.6 (74.0) |
| Grand total | 3,622 (4,340) | 248 (429) | 3,374 (3,911) | 1,520 (1,423) | 45.1 (36.4) |
The proportion of patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis who were
followed up and found to be alive five years after completion of treatment, which
was 33.9 per cent. in respect of those discharged in 1927, improved to 421 per cent.
in respect of patients discharged in 1932.
The smaller number of patients "lost sight of" in the 1932 group is, however,
a factor to be considered. Experience shows that those patients who discontinue
dispensary attendance or who leave London without notifying change of address
are mainly those who feel well and are not so heavily infected. On the other hand,
the fact of the death of a patient immediately comes to the notice of the appropriate
authorities. Assuming, however, that all the patients lost sight of were alive at the
end of the five-year period the percentage of survivors would still show an improvement
of more than 6 per cent.