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21
The age distribution of new cases of tuberculosis is shown in Tables 13 (a) and (b).
Unfortunately the available population estimates permit the calculation of rates
only for the two broad groups, under age 15 and above that age.
For pulmonary disease the adult rate which had been stable, has risen by 4 per
cent., but the rise in the juvenile rate experienced in 1947 has not progressed. The
rates per 1,000 for the 0-14 group in recent years have been as follow (numbers of
cases in brackets):—
1943 0.85 (392)
1944 0.85 (401)
1945 0.83 (415)
1946 0.94 (548)
1947 1.04 (607)
1948 1.01 (633)
Both relatively and absolutely the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in
children which took a disturbing upward turn in 1946-47 is still much higher than
in 1943-45.
The non-pulmonary cases have been analysed according to the site of the lesion
in Table 15.
The following information has been supplied by the Ministry of Health. There
were 34 outbreaks of food poisoning within the county of London reported to the
Ministry of Health by the medical officers of the metropolitan boroughs, the number
of cases being 192. In 19 of the outbreaks infection in food was bacteriologically
confirmed.
Food
poisoning
GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Housing

The total number of houses or flats owned by the Council at 31st March, 1948,
was 102,060 of which 52,029 are situated in London and 50,031 outside the London
area.
Overcrowding remains a serious health problem and many of the applicants for
rehousing on the Council's estates submit medical evidence of ill-health attributed to
or aggravated by unsatisfactory housing conditions.
There was again a considerable increase in the number of these applications
referred to the public health department for consideration on health grounds which
totalled 19,903 in the year compared with 13,662 in 1947. These figures and the
percentages shown in the table below are exclusive of the number of recommendations
made for priority on the grounds of active pulmonary tuberculosis. A large amount
of work is entailed in investigating these claims and it is necessary to consult the
medical officers of health of the metropolitan boroughs and out-county authorities
regarding the accommodation occupied by many of the applicants. The valuable
help given by them is gratefully acknowledged.
As a matter of interest an analysis was made on several occasions of 1,000
consecutive applications and note was taken of the various ailments from which the
applicants or members of their families were considered to be suffering. The results
Rehousing
on medical
grounds