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 1946
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
The number of beds occupied by patients under the tuberculosis scheme on 31st December, 1946 (with corresponding figures for the years 1938 to 1945, inclusive) 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:—
| Year | Council's special hospitals and sanatoria | Council's general hospitals | Voluntary institutions | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADULTS | ||||
| 1946 | 1,134(109) | 615(49) | 1,246(120) | 2,995(269) |
| 1945 | 1,233(160) | 596(23) | 1,316(145) | 3,145(328) |
| 1944 | 1,419(242) | 490(30) | 1,399(157) | 3,308(429) |
| 1943 | 1,249(184) | 713(33) | 1,323(120) | 3,285(337) |
| 1942 | 1,296(129) | 654(18) | 1,170(106) | 3,120(253) |
| 1941 | 1,102(65) | 577(15) | 1,195(78) | 2,874(158) |
| 1940 | 983(6) | 579(5) | 1,303(17) | 2,865(28) |
| 1939 | 853(3) | 787(2) | 1,128(8) | 2,768(13) |
| 1938 | 1,299(1) | 1,010(6) | 1,134(16) | 3,443(23) |
| CHILDREN | ||||
| 1946 | 422 | 21 | 167 | 610 |
| 1945 | 437 | 13 | 127 | 577 |
| 1944 | 416 | 12 | 55 | 483 |
| 1943 | 519 | 9 | 43 | 571 |
| 1942 | 580 | 10 | 57 | 647 |
| 1941 | 494 | 15 | 56 | 565 |
| 1940 | 400 | 4 | 68 | 472 |
| 1939 | 496 | 8 | 55 | 559 |
| 1938 | 658 | 6 | 60 | 724 |
*Including 237 Service patients (201 in the Council's special and general hospitals and 36 in voluntary
institutions).
†Including 176 Service patients (165 in the Council's special hospitals and 11 in voluntary institutions).
The decrease in the number of beds occupied, both in the Council's special
hospitals and sanatoria and in voluntary institutions, is due to staffing difficulties
prevalent throughout the country.
Domiciliary
treatment
by collapse
therapy
During the year, many beds at suitable hospitals and sanatoria remained
unoccupied, due to the shortage of nursing and other staff; and, in consequence, the
number of patients on the waiting list for residential treatment tended to increase,
With a view to alleviating anxiety arising through failure to commence treatment in
the early stages of the disease, active treatment, limited to artificial pneumothorax
therapy, was started as an experiment in two metropolitan boroughs for suitable
patients still at home. The Council authorised free conveyance by its ambulances
of such patients between their homes and the local tuberculosis dispensaries, foi
purposes of radiological control. The experiment proved satisfactory in carefully
selected cases as, apart from the cancellation of a number of recommendations foi
residential treatment, the patients received active treatment earlier than would have
been the case had this been delayed until their admission to sanatoria.
Dental
treatment
and provision
of spectacles
Dental treatment, (including the provision of dentures where necessary), and
spectacles, were provided for patients undergoing residential treatment for tuberculosis
where such provision was considered a necessary aid to treatment. No charge
is made to patients for dental treatment except that any grants received from approved
societies under the National Health Insurance Acts are taken into consideration.
Provision of
clothing and
boots (and
repairs)
Where it was certified to be essential to enable patients to benefit from residential
treatment, clothing and boots (and repairs) were provided free in cases where the
patients could not make such provision. Verification of the patients' circumstances