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 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
25
Treatment of tuberculosis
The number of names on the dispensary registers at the end of the year was
24,879, compared with 23,671 at the end of 1944, and 21,740 at the end of 1938.
The work of the dispensary service has functioned satisfactorily throughout the
year. Evening sessions were held during the summer, and Saturday afternoon
sessions or other special sessions were substituted in some cases during the winter.
The X-ray examination of patients has shown a steady increase during the past
two years and it is anticipated that the increase will be maintained.
The search for tubercle bacilli by examination of laryngeal swabs was extended
during the year.
Dispensary
service
The number of recommendations for residential treatment with the corresponding figures for 1944 and 1938 were:—
| Year | For the first period of treatment | For further treatment | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ex-Service | Civilian adults | Children | Ex- Service | Civilian adults | Children | ||||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | ||||||
| *1945 | 286 | 1,873 | 1,782 | 707 | 209 | 1.035 | 915 | 104 | 6,911 |
| 1944 | 583 | 1,774 | 1,874 | 712 | 183 | 1,159 | 945 | 80 | 7,310 |
| 1938 | 2 | 2,610 | 1,960 | 796 | 58 | 1,671 | 1,160 | 199 | 8,450 |
Residential
treatment
*The decrease in the number of recommendations for the ex-Service men and women is due to the
revised procedure authorised in Ministry of Health circular 127/45, 177/45 and 68/46 under which the
discharge of patients is deferred for periods up to 30 months.
Patients recommended for treatment during the year were dealt with as follows (the corresponding figures for 1944 and 1938 are also shown):—
| Adults | Children | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 1944 | 1938 | 1945 | 1944 | 1938 | |
| (a) Admitted to "observation" beds to determine diagnosis or suitability for treatment at sanatoria | 838 | 713 | 1,338 | 235 | 227 | 202 |
| (b) Admitted to Pleural Effusion Unit | 278 | 271 | — | 14 | 20 | - |
| (c)Passed for admission direct to sanatoria or hospitals | 4,841 | 5,317 | 5,963 | 517 | 503 | 749 |
| (d) Not accepted for residential treatment | 26 | 56 | 106 | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| (e) Withdrawn after application but before decision was reached | 117 | 161 | 48 | 24 | 16 | 21 |
| 6,100 | 6,518 | 7,455 | 811 | 792 | 995 | |
N.B.—The treatment offered was refused in respect of 90 adults and 18 children
in 1945, and 63 adults and 4 children in 1944.
During the year special efforts were made in view of the Council's difficult
position regarding institutional bed accommodation to select cases suitable for
treatment at home under the supervision of local tuberculosis officers, and this is
reflected in the reduced number of adults recommended. During the latter half of
1945, there was an increase in the number of recommendations for the treatment of
children owing to their return from evacuation on the end of the war.
The numbers of beds occupied by patients under the tuberculosis scheme on
31st December, 1945 (with corresponding figures for 1944 and 1938) were as follows;
the figures in brackets represent the number of ex-Service men and women (included
in the figures) whose tuberculous condition has been accepted by the Ministry of
Pensions as connected with war service:—
D